The day the music died

As a film enthusiast who values stories of courage and resilience, I wholeheartedly recommend adding “Surviving October 7th: We Will Dance Again” to your watchlist. The tale of Aner Shapiro, a young man who lived his life with unwavering bravery and compassion, is one that leaves an indelible mark.

Add Surviving October 7th: We Will Dance Again to your watchlist

From an early age, Aner Shapiro consistently took a stance for justice. Whenever someone was being mistreated or bullied, Aner would not hesitate to intervene. His mother, Shira, remembers that above all else, he valued being a good person.

Today, it brings great relief to Shira, her husband Moshe, and Aner’s six younger siblings that the 22-year-old passed away as he had lived, bravely attempting to rescue other attendees of Israel’s Nova festival, who were attacked by Hamas members last year.

In a tiny roadside bomb shelter after an attack that tragically took at least 360 young lives from a party, Aner swiftly acted when terrorists began hurling grenades inside. He bravely retrieved and tossed them back. Yet, his valiance came at a cost: the eighth grenade he grabbed detonated in his hand, claiming his life instantly.

His tale is included in the compelling documentary “Surviving October 7th: We Will Dance Again“, which weaves together the traumatic incidents that occurred on that fateful day.

In my own words, I find myself echoing Shira’s sentiments: “His manner of passing mirrored his life – filled with zest and valiance.” Just like countless others who bear the weight of last year’s events, I grapple to comprehend how such devastation could befall my cherished family.

Before setting off for the festival, Shira’s caring and family-focused son – a soldier from Israel with a passion for music who had even recorded his own songs – joined his parents for a Friday night meal at their house.

Upon hearing sirens at 8 am the following day, the family understood that something of importance had transpired. However, their apprehension grew when Aner’s phone went unanswered and they found out about the festival being attacked. “I began to scream without pause,” Shira recounts.

Six long days passed amidst the turmoil and destruction following the event, until his fate was finally uncovered – Aner’s, that is. “I felt him slip away in my heart,” she admits, “but I couldn’t bear to accept it.

By that point, the intense fear experienced by those hiding in the shelter, along with Aner’s bravery, had become painfully clear. Out of the 27 individuals who sought safety there, only seven managed to survive. Among the survivors was Ziv Abud, aged 27, who attended the festival with her fiancé Eliya Cohen, also 27. The couple had been dating since they were 19 and were celebrating late into the night when a warning siren went off at 6:30am.

Ziv remembers gazing up at the sky, where it appeared as if a thousand rockets were launched, and he immediately felt something was severely amiss.

Instead of seeking shelter after fleeing with her nephew Amit and his partner Karin, they decided to find refuge in a roadside shelter designed for protection against rocket attacks. However, this shelter proved to offer no shield from thrown explosives. “We believed it would be a secure location,” she explains.

Additional guests, who appeared to be quite anxious, started joining their group. Among them was Aner, accompanied by Hersh. He shared with us his concern about a high number of suspicious individuals, suggesting an unfavorable situation. Without hesitation, he assumed responsibility and declared that if any grenades were thrown, he would return fire.

As grenades began to soar through the air, an overwhelming sense of dread filled it. “Many individuals could be heard bidding farewell to one another,” Ziv recounts. When the eighth grenade detonated in Aner’s hand, Ziv was tragically engulfed under a mound of fallen comrades.

She exclaimed it was pandemonium. I distinctly heard Eliya’s terrified yells. Suddenly, he clutched my hand tightly, and in that instant, I realize he had been abducted.

Aner died the way he lived – with passion, and courage

Eliya left the shelter with Hersh, a friend of Aner’s, and two more individuals, as 16 others tragically lost their lives.

Following numerous hours buried beneath others, Ziv climbed out to discover her nephew Eliya and his partner among the deceased crowd. “I looked high and low for Eliya,” she lamented, “but couldn’t locate him.

She quickly discovered that he had been kidnapped, and she expressed her fear. However, she also held onto the hope that perhaps it would only last for a fortnight, and he would come back safely.

Approximately a year has passed, and she continues to struggle for the man she discovered would have proposed and had even purchased a ring. “Every aspect of life feels like a battle – just to eat, sleep, and not shed tears, but most importantly, to ensure people remember,” she expresses. “However, I maintain hope that I will reunite with Eliya again.” The recent news that Hersh was killed by Hamas following about 320 days in captivity has been devastating. “It was truly heartbreaking,” Ziv whispers softly. “But we must persist in our efforts for the others.

Shira and Moshe feel the same way, as they find solace knowing that their son gave his life while saving others.

Shira remarks, ‘I’m optimistic that his actions could bring about global transformation.’ It demonstrates the remarkable power a man has to rescue others without any tools but his own hands.

2024-09-17 19:04

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