From Paralysis to Progress: The Incredible Rehabilitation Journey of Rami Asher

The moment Rami Asher found himself lying on the ground next to his electric scooter — unable to move his hands or legs, was one of the most terrifying moments of his life. It happened during Chol HaMoed Sukkot last year. Rami simply wanted to keep his promise to take his children for a ride on electric scooters.

“I have twin daughters who were 11 at the time and an older son. Since girls their age aren’t allowed to ride electric scooters alone, my son took one daughter, and I took the other,” he explains.

They rode along the bike path on the promenade in the city of Elad, just minutes from their home.

“It wasn’t extreme sports,” he emphasizes. “Just a simple ride.”
But no one could have imagined how that simple ride would end — or what would unfold afterward.

A Sudden Crash and a Terrifying Realization

“I still don’t know what happened,” Rami says. “Suddenly the scooter stopped. I was thrown to the left, and my daughter to the right.”

Although he wore a helmet, he feared a head injury and instinctively lifted his head, causing his spine — not his skull, to absorb the full impact. The results were immediate, and frightening.

“I expected intense pain, but there was none. Suddenly I felt myself losing sensation in my hands and legs. I tried to move my hand to take my phone out of my pocket and couldn’t. It was terrifying.”

He lay on his stomach, head lifted, struggling again and again to rise, but unable to move. “I screamed to my son to take the phone from my pocket and call MDA. Meanwhile I was thinking: my daughters are watching this happen — what trauma am I causing them?”

Emergency Transport and a Rapid Decline

Everything progressed quickly from there. Rami was taken by ambulance; his wife joined him. Their six children were left at home in shock.

“It was Friday afternoon during Chol HaMoed Sukkot. The helplessness was immense.”

Did you remain conscious during transport?

“Yes. The whole way I kept asking about my daughter. That’s all I cared about — I was terrified that she was hurt too.”

He was still conscious upon entering the hospital. But as he was placed into the MRI machine, he told the medical team he couldn’t breathe. From that moment, he was sedated and put on a ventilator.

Doctors performed a complex spinal surgery to repair the damaged vertebrae, but they were not optimistic about full recovery. They prepared his wife for the possibility of lifelong paralysis.

Three Weeks in Intensive Care — and the First Glimmer of Hope

Rami spent three full weeks sedated and ventilated in the ICU.

“I opened my eyes for the first time at the beginning of Cheshvan. I immediately recognized my wife and my parents. But because of the ventilator, I couldn’t speak.”

Communication was agonizing. “I could only move my lips. My wife tried hard and somehow understood me, and so did my mother. But no one else understood a word. I could ask ten times for someone to fix my pillow — and no one realized what I was saying.”

What went through your mind?

“At first, many thoughts. Mainly confusion. I just wanted to do something good for my kids. I wasn’t being reckless. And since it was a single-vehicle accident, I didn’t even have anyone to blame. I kept thinking: ‘Why did this happen to me?’ It took time until I could accept that there are Divine calculations we can’t understand — and never will.”

Small Miracles in the Hospital

One day, a speech therapist arrived and fitted Rami with a special speaking valve — allowing him to talk again.

“That was a huge day for me. Suddenly I learned to appreciate the simplest action of being able to speak.”

He continued improving. He moved from ICU to a regular ward and then to rehabilitation.

At first came respiratory rehab, weaning him off the ventilator. Then neurological rehabilitation, designed to help him regain as much function as possible.

“Eventually it became clear that the spinal injury was partial — not complete, which was miraculous. But still, no one could say what my final condition would be. I was in a wheelchair without knowing whether I would ever walk again.”

Unexpected Progress — Beyond All Predictions

Rehabilitation required constant work, daily exercises, and emotional resilience. “But the results came,” Rami says.

Contrary to doctors’ expectations, movement began returning — first to his left hand, then the right, and eventually his legs.

“They still function only partially, and I remain in a wheelchair, but the progress is far beyond anything the doctors predicted. I thank God every single day.”

What Gave You Strength?

“First and foremost: faith and hope. I prayed constantly and believed everything would be okay.” I also received many blessings from Torah scholars:

• A special blessing from Rabbi David Abuhatzeira

• A blessing from Rabbi Ba’adani just two weeks before his passing

• Encouragement from Rabbi Fanger

• A visit from Chief Rabbi David Lau and his father, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau

“When Rabbi David Lau heard what happened, he said: ‘You did something good for your children, and Hashem will make sure you never lose from it.’ His father blessed me warmly as well and added: ‘But it will take a lot of patience.’”

Returning Home — and the Turning Point

The most emotional moment of all was returning home.

“Even though the kids visited me in the hospital, coming home was different. From that moment, I felt a huge surge of strength to keep going.”

A few months ago, the community held a major evening of support and prayer on his behalf. “Not a single eye remained dry,” he recalls.

“Since then, I’ve seen even more meaningful improvements. Baruch Hashem, I continue progressing, surprising the doctors, and praying for a complete recovery soon.”

“Never Take Your Body for Granted”

Rami ends with one heartfelt request: “Learn to appreciate the ability to move your hands and feet — it is not something to take for granted. When you say the morning blessings, focus on them deeply and thank the Creator for these gifts.”