BGU Wounded Student Reservist Eran: Story of Perseverance
BGU Wounded Student Reservist Eran: Story of Perseverance
February 20, 2025
Eran, BGU wounded student reservist
Ynetnews – Rehabilitation is still an everyday reality for the wounded of October 7. Survivors are battling physical and emotional wounds.
Eran, a 22-year-old reservist in the Yahalom Engineering Unit at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), is also undergoing rehabilitation at Soroka University Medical Center. While attached to the 13th Battalion of the Golani Brigade, he was wounded during a maneuver on the second night of Hanukkah. “We were clearing a building in northern Gaza, preparing it for use, when I got hit in the leg by a bullet.”
Eran’s injury, while seemingly minor, turned severe. He ended up at Soroka with a shattered bone, a torn artery, and recurring infections. “I’ve had 12 surgeries so far. They took bone from my pelvis to replace the missing bone, muscle from one area, an artery from another, and skin from somewhere else,” he says, pointing to the scars on both legs.
In October, Eran began studying civil engineering at BGU, near the hospital. Beyond pursuing a profession, the studies are part of his rehabilitation. “I wake up at seven in the morning, do an hour of physiotherapy, and start classes at nine. Until last week, I was getting around campus on a mobility scooter; now, I use crutches. Studying distracts me from constantly dwelling on the negative.”
Before enlisting, Eran was a professional athlete in tumbling (acrobatic gymnastics practiced on mats). He placed second in Israel and represented the country at the world championship in Russia. He shows a video of himself doing nine consecutive flips in the air. “I’ll get back to it, even if not at the same level,” he promises. Watching him fight to reclaim his life, it’s hard not to doubt his determination.
To support student reservists like Eran, please click here to donate to the Ben-Gurion Annual Fund today.
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