Father-in-Law Donates Kidney in Memory of Nova Victim
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Akiva Sternlicht donated a kidney in memory of his son-in-law, Ram Seela, who was murdered at the Nova festival on October 7th. Sternlicht was inspired by the fragility of life and Seela's memory to help a dialysis patient, Yevgeny Genzdilov. The successful transplant was performed by Dr. Avithar Nesser at Beilinson Hospital. Sternlicht views the donation as giving hope and a chance for a better life to the recipient.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Akiva Sternlicht donated a kidney to Yevgeny Genzdilov in memory of his son-in-law, Nova massacre victim Ram Seela.
- Ram Seela was murdered at the Nova festival on October 7th, sending a final message about terrorists before losing contact.
- Sternlicht was motivated by the fragility of life and Seela's memory to help a dialysis patient.
- The transplant was performed by Dr. Avithar Nesser at Beilinson Hospital and was successful.
- The recipient, Genzdilov, expressed gratitude, stating the donation gave him hope for a better life.
- Sternlicht noted the surgeon's name, Nesser, was the same as his late son-in-law's nickname, 'Nesher'.
Nearly three years after his son-in-law, Ram Seela, was murdered at the Nova music festival, Akiva Sternlicht donated a kidney in his memory to save a patient in need of the organ. Seela, 32, was killed on October 7th while working at the festival in the Re'im forest, where he had been helping set up the event since October 4th. He sent a final message to his mother at 9:21 AM stating, "There are a lot of terrorists here. We will not survive this," before losing contact. His body was found after three days of searching. He is survived by his wife, parents, and two sisters.
Sternlicht, who supported his daughter, Seela's wife, through the difficult time, described Seela as someone who "always spread light." He explained that after Seela's death, he felt his absence acutely and understood the fragility of life. This led him to decide to donate a kidney to free a dialysis patient from a grueling treatment routine and to honor Seela's memory.
Sternlicht, with the help of the "Matnat Chaim" organization and the medical team at Beilinson Hospital, found a compatible recipient, Yevgeny Genzdilov. The transplant surgery took place exactly one week before the third anniversary of the October 7th events. Dr. Avithar Nesser, Director of Organ Transplants at Beilinson, performed the successful surgery, noting that the donation is a "manifestation of human kindness."
Genzdilov expressed profound gratitude, stating that Sternlicht's gift gave him "hope for a better life." Sternlicht likened the kidney donation to giving wings to a dialysis patient, allowing them to "fly high," and found a poignant connection in the fact that the surgeon's name was also Nesser, mirroring the nickname "Nesher" (Eagle) of his late son-in-law.