Leah Shpitz, mother of IDF soldier Ari Shpitz who was seriously wounded in the Gaza Strip, spoke with Arutz Sheva - Israel National News about her son’s ordeal.
“Ari was seriously injured on February 27th, with severe orthopedic injuries. He almost didn't make it. He's been sedated and intubated since February 27th and went through eight different surgeries. Miraculously, they finally woke him up from sedation this week. We had no idea how long it was going to be. His birthday is coming up in two weeks, and now we can truly experience that and Passover with him,” she recalled.
Leah believes that Ari’s condition was an act of God. “He survived by miracle after miracle after miracle through the heroes who saved him on the battlefield. He has a long haul ahead of him, his rehabilitation is going to be a very long process, but we believe that he will get there. We have full belief in God, and see him as part of the process of the Jewish people coming back to Israel.”
She describes the moment he regained consciousness. “When you wake up after 41 days it takes a while for you to actually get back to yourself. First, you ask him what his name is and if he knows who you are. The first words he said to us were “I love you”.
Leah says that the time Ari was in the hospital brought her a look at the best parts of Israel. “When you're in the hospital, you really get to see the beautiful people of Israel - people who have visited us, doctors and nurses who came back from their vacation in order to be able to operate, the army that supports us, completely random people we have never met. We issued a call for blood donations in honor of the 20 liters of blood he’s received here, and thousands came to donate.”
Leah is sure of Ari's full recovery. “He will one day be able to tell his story himself. I have full confidence in that.”