A recounting of the late Ari Fuld’s experiences during the Second Lebanon War sheds further light on his heroism and devotion to the Jewish people.

As related several years ago in the Chabad movement’s Sichat Hashavua, Ari was trekking miles into Lebanon with his fellow soldiers during the war, when his commander, who was at the head of the company, was suddenly shot and collapsed. Three soldiers who were nearby ran to help him, when missiles were shot in their direction and they, too, were wounded and collapsed.

The deputy commander then took charge, and ordered Ari and several of his comrades to run ahead, into the line of fire, and drag the wounded soldiers back to cover, as there was high risk that the wounded soldiers would be captured by the enemy.

Ari and his comrades didn’t hesitate for a second, and ran straight into the chaos, where bullets were flying and explosions could be heard in every direction.

When they reached the wounded soldiers, they heard several loud explosions behind them. The area in which they had been taking cover several moments before had been completely bombed out.

After dragging the wounded soldiers out of the line of fire, a combat medic rushed to treat Ari and told him to lie on the ground, but Ari refused, believing that he had not been hit. The medic looked at him in bewilderment, pointing out that Ari’s backpack had been completely ruptured by bullets. Taking off Ari’s pack, the medic discovered bleeding, and Ari realized there was a danger that he had actually been hit in a central artery, but still could not feel it.

The medic discovered that the source of the bleeding was a large piece of shrapnel which had cut Ari in the back, but had been stopped by his vest just before it could penetrate deeper.

Realizing the scope of the miracle through which he had been saved, Ari resolved to immerse himself in Torah study for several years after the war, and ultimately quit his job in high-tech to work for “Standing Together,” a group which provides soldiers with anything they need and which had helped Ari and his comrades during the war. He also devoted himself to strengthening the Jewish people through education and spreading truth about Israel via numerous forums.

He always kept the piece of shrapnel dislodged from his back in a cabinet in his house next to the Shabbat candles as a reminder of his “rebirth.”