Soldier Whose Survival Story Inspired Hit Song Dies at 80

Yosef Haguel, the soldier whose survival during the Six-Day War became a symbol of heroism and inspired the famous song "Ballad for a Medic," has died at the age of 80. Haguel, born in 1946, fought with the Paratroopers Brigade in the intense battles for Jerusalem in 1967. During the fighting, he was severely wounded in the legs and could not be evacuated from the line of fire. The company medic, Shlomo Epstein, stayed with him and treated him under heavy shelling. When forces were ordered to evacuate and take cover, Epstein dragged Haguel to a shelter wall, lay him down facing the wall, and lay on top of him to shield him from the shells. A shell that fell nearby killed Epstein, while Haguel survived. Epstein was posthumously awarded the Medal of Courage for his actions. The story of Epstein's sacrifice and Haguel's rescue, who carried a large shrapnel fragment near his heart his entire life, reached the poet Dan Almogor's friend. Almogor wrote the song "Ballad for a Medic," which was performed by Yehoram Gaon. The song won first place at the Song Festival in 1969 and has since become one of the most recognized national memorial songs associated with Israel's wars. For Haguel, the connection with the medic who saved his life did not end with the war. For decades, he maintained close contact with Epstein's family and even named his eldest son Shlomo, after the medic. Epstein's father served as the godfather at the child's circumcision in 1971. Over the years, Haguel became a storyteller, visiting schools, military bases, and gatherings with soldiers to commemorate Epstein's memory and pass on the legacy of mutual responsibility to future generations.