Full Circle: A Rescue Mission with a Personal Connection

"This week, I came full circle," says Chaim Avni, a United Hatzalah volunteer, recounting the life-changing mission he was part of.

"I was at work in Kiryat Bialik when I received a United Hatzalah call about a baby choking. Thanks to the 'Easy Rider' transport I purchased in my late mother's honor, which combines a motorcycle, ATV, and surfboard, I reached the location within minutes.

"The parents were already on the street with their two-month-old son, trying to save what was truly critical time. As soon as I took the baby in my arms, I realized he had no pulse and was not breathing. We immediately started resuscitation, including compressions and two shocks from the United Hatzalah defibrillator. While it's rare to use such a device on infants, it saved his life here, delivering two shocks that restored his pulse. He was then taken to Rambam Hospital, where he underwent tests and remained under observation. When I arrived there, I found out that the baby was, baruch Hashem, healthy and had only been kept for monitoring."

Closing a Circle

Avni's story isn't just about the miraculous baby rescue but also eerily and profoundly ties into his life. "Exactly seventeen years ago, our son passed away from SIDS at five months old. 'An angel came and an angel left'—that was our feeling then.

"I still remember the terrible helplessness as a father when medical personnel came to treat our baby. I remember our cries and prayers for his revival, but sadly, he was declared deceased, and resuscitation failed.

"I later visited Rabbi David Abuhatzeira in Nahariya. He told me, 'Chaim, you’re allowed to mourn, but also rejoice that a soul with such high stakes in heaven was yours for five months.' I've tried to internalize this, and over the years, we were blessed with two more healthy children, yet I felt an unresolved corner, a lingering gap with questions about what happened.

"Since volunteering with United Hatzalah three years ago, I always dreamed of being an emissary for bringing life back to a baby. And here, with siata d'shmayah and a non-natural miracle, it just happened. The joy for the parents, knowing their son was saved, gave me immense satisfaction."

Avni pauses and reveals an emotional detail: "There was also a profound sense of completion as the incident occurred on the week of Parsha 'Beshalach'—the same week as my son's passing anniversary. As a believing Jew, I know nothing is coincidental, and surely Hashem is sending an important message. Having lost a child myself, I understand better than anyone the immense importance of saving lives, and with Hashem’s help, I intend to dedicate my life to it, for there's nothing more important."