Fallen Soldier's Mother Remembers Son's Light and Love
Translated & summarized from Kan News by baba
Dalit Testa, mother of fallen Sergeant Major Ido Testa, shared memories of her son, who died on May 5, 2024, at age 19. She described him as a source of light and joy who encouraged others. To honor him, she wrote a children's book about kindness and conflict resolution. Testa recounted the devastating moment she was informed of her son's death, describing how it instantly changed her family's life.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Dalit Testa remembered her son, Sergeant Major Ido Testa, who fell in Gaza on May 5, 2024.
- She described him as a source of light, joy, and encouragement.
- His mother wrote a children's book, "The Boy with the Purple Heart," to commemorate him.
- The book focuses on kindness and conflict resolution, inspired by an incident in his third grade.
- She recounted the painful experience of being notified of his death.
Dalit Testa, mother of Sergeant Major Ido Testa, who fell in the Gaza Strip, spoke on Kan News about her son on the third anniversary of the October 7th massacre. Ido, a combat soldier in the Givati Brigade, was killed on May 5, 2024, at the age of 19. "He was our youngest, and from the moment he was born, he spread so much light, joy, and love, and jokes," she said. "He filled the house with so much light. A joker, who knew the right word at the right time and encouraged everyone. A good heart."
Dalit has written a children's book titled "The Boy with the Purple Heart" to commemorate Ido. The book is distributed in schools and kindergartens across Israel. "It's a book that combines a good heart with his values, based on an incident in third grade where he received a commendation for good friendship and crisis management after helping to bridge gaps between his classmates," she explained. "The number of works and creations by children inspired by the book is so heartwarming. Children who want to be like Ido. For me, if I managed to save even one child from bullying, that's a whole world."
Recalling the day her son was killed, she described the difficult moments of being informed of his death. "Towards noon, there were alerts about a terrorist attack in Kerem Shalom. We came home, started searching hospitals, in groups, with officers, no response. When I reached our street, I already had a feeling. I looked for the military vehicle," she said. "We returned home. Around six o'clock, we heard the intercom ring. I yelled to Shi, 'Don't open for them! They are not coming in here!' Three officers, one male and two female, entered to deliver the news. My older son, Tomer, who is also in the Givati Brigade, was in reserves. His sister told him, and he returned home with two friends. In that second, life turns upside down. Everything changes, everything is not the same. Suffocation, longing, pain."