Yosef Haguel, Survivor of Six-Day War Battle Immortalized in Song, Dies at 80

Yosef Haguel, the soldier whose survival story from the Six-Day War became famously linked to the song "Ballad for a Medic," passed away Saturday at the age of 80 while serving in the reserves. Haguel, born in 1946, fought with the Paratroopers Brigade in the battles for Jerusalem during the 1967 war. He was severely wounded in the legs and unable to be evacuated. His company medic, Shlomo Epstein, stayed with him, treating him under heavy shelling. When ordered to take cover, Haguel remained exposed. Epstein dragged him to a shelter wall, positioned him facing the wall, and lay behind him to shield him with his body. A shell soon fell nearby, killing Epstein and leaving Haguel to survive. Haguel later recounted that a large shrapnel fragment remained near his heart, and he believed Epstein's body had saved his life. Epstein was posthumously awarded the Medal of Courage for his actions. The story later formed the basis for the well-known song "Ballad for a Medic," written by Dan Almagor and performed by Yehoram Gaon. Almagor was aware of the Haguel-Epstein story, and the song's final version was influenced by it. The song won first place at the 1969 Song Festival. Haguel continued to visit Epstein's grave for years and connected with his family. When Haguel's first son was born, he named him Shlomo, after the medic who saved him. Epstein's father even served as the sandak (godfather) at the boy's circumcision. Haguel himself became a storyteller, visiting schools and meeting soldiers to recount the battle and Epstein's heroism, aiming to memorialize the medic and pass the story to future generations. In a 2019 interview, he stated that while he struggled to speak about the event for years, he eventually saw it as a mission. "Ballad for a Medic" became one of the most recognized songs commemorating the Six-Day War, rooted in the true story of two soldiers: Shlomo Epstein, who sacrificed his life to protect a wounded comrade, and Yosef Haguel, who carried the story of his rescue for decades.