Bus Driver Sacrifices Life to Save Soldiers in Fatal Crash

A heroic act by a bus driver, Absalom Revivo, 61, of Ashdod, saved the lives of approximately 30 soldiers when his bus collided head-on with a truck on Wednesday. Revivo was driving the soldiers, returning from Tel Nof Air Force base, north on Highway 91 between Mahanaim Junction and Kibbutz Gesher. Suddenly, a truck from the opposite lane veered into his path. In a split second, Revivo recognized the danger. Instead of swerving left, which might have saved him but endangered the bus's center, he turned the steering wheel right. The impact was absorbed entirely by the driver's cabin, which was crushed. Revivo was trapped and, despite extensive rescue efforts and resuscitation attempts by Magen David Adom (MDA) teams, was pronounced dead at the scene. The soldiers sustained only minor injuries and were evacuated to Ziv Medical Center in Safed. The truck driver, around 50 years old, was seriously injured and airlifted.

Revivo's widow, Vered, described him as a "model father, a man of values and humility, my best friend," adding, "He is a great, great, great hero." She understood he turned right to ensure the truck hit him rather than the center of the bus. "My heart is broken, but this was the most fitting thing for him to do," she said, attributing the accident to the truck driver's distraction.

Revivo, who is survived by his wife and three children, one of whom recently married, was honored at his funeral in Ashdod by the soldiers he saved and their squadron commander. The commander told Vered, "He saved my 30 children." A fellow passenger remarked, "The driver died, but he saved us all."

The Public Transportation Drivers Association called for state recognition for Revivo, suggesting he "deserves a civilian medal of valor from the Ministry of Transport or the President." His employer, Ha'Mo'eil Ha'Arzi company, stated, "We will remember Absalom, his dedication, and his heroism."