I could have been remembered as the
handicapped and wounded soldier who on
his last mission lost his two hands
indeed these are the facts I lost my
hands but I chose to tell my life story
differently Who I am today and what I
have achieved is mainly due to what
happened on Tuesday the 23rd of October
2012 it was the last day of my duty as a
company commander at the gavotte II
Brigade this ver tense time in Israel
South and frontier I was supposed to
complete one final mission before taking
two weeks vacation and getting a
promotion to a senior position our
mission that day was to confirm that
there were no terrorists or explosive
devices near the border at 6 a.m.
nearly at the end of that mission I
arrived to the security fence in order
to open it and allow the last Israeli
tank forces to return to Israeli
territory after we finished with
activity because of the heavy fog and
the fact that there were enemy snipers
who were likely waiting for us I was
concerned for my soldier safety and
lives therefore I decided as a commander
to lead the mission by myself I ordered
my soldiers stake two hundred and fifty
yards behind me in safe shelters and
walk towards that gate crouching and
crawling as I made my way when I arrived
there for some reason I don’t really
know to explain why my hands are
literally shaking
I opened the lock of that gate slowly
push the gate and moved about three
boom I felt an enormous explosion that
pushed me back it felt like my entire
body was on fire a few seconds later I
opened my eyes and the pain filled my
body I immediately notice that my left
hand was missing there was blood
everywhere and I remember myself trying
to reach and apply pressure on the room
nothing happened I tried again still
nothing moved when I looked on my right
hand I realized exactly why it was
almost disconnected lying on the flaming
hot soil hanging on small pieces of skin
and flesh both my arms weren’t attached
to my body in the first few seconds I
try to conquered my shock not letting I
take over me wake up this is real I yell
wake up you have to do something I told
myself yelling once again I knew that if
I wouldn’t respond immediately I will
lose a lot of blood Adventure lead I
since the explosion pulled me deeper
into Gaza
my main concern on that moment was to be
kidnapped I knew it would be the worst
thing that could happen to me as a
soldier and to Israel as a stake
understood that within minutes those
terrorists can be on their way to
kahneman getting and I don’t have my
hands anymore I can’t use my rifle to
protect myself when they do I can’t even
use the radio to report my crew with the
last of my powers I pressed my left hand
into the sand so it will stop bleeding
took with me my rifle belt from the
ground and start to collect whatever
that lost was left on my right hand
stood up using my knees and start
running with all my gear back to my
soldiers back to my crew step-by-step as
the blood poured out on my body I ran
the only thing I heard was the leaves
crushing under my booth after I ran 250
yards from the Gaza border I finally
approached my vehicle my soldiers were
in shock up and seeing my injuries my
medic and 19 years old boy just 19 years
old boy had never seen someone so badly
injured before I looked at him and said
near my brother you have two seconds to
put tourniquets on my hands or I will
bleed to death
he treated me gave me first aid as our
driver drove out from the battlefield
when we arrived to the helicopter
landing grounds my deputy le was the
first one to get there he looked on my
burned body totally shocked trying to
understand if I’m still breathing or
still alive I looked at him and the
first thing I asked him was le look at
my face and tell me the truth
I am I still pretty he looked at me
smiled and said you don’t for you still
the prettiest soldier in the Middle East
from there I was evacuated to the
hospital in critical condition after we
arrived to the trauma unit a soldier
from the IDF Medical Corp approached she
told me if we need you to call your
family and let them know that you were
injured we believe they will respond
better better if they hear your voice it
made sense to me I gave her my older
system phone number and she made the
call while the phone is ringing I
thought to myself until now despite
everything I was very calm and focused
now when I need to tell my family I have
to be even more relaxed and cool my
sister answered the phone I took a deep
breath and in the most relaxed coolest
way I told her Ella come immediately to
the hospital I lost both of my hands
at the hospital I was given 56 blood
units 56 blood units it’s equivalent to
3.2 gallons of blood 8 liters of blood
I almost replaced at my blood
circulation twice for four days I was
unconscious in the first two weeks I
went through eight surgeries hanging
between life and death
and when I finally stabilized I came to
the realization that my life was forever
changed now when the threat of death was
removed the real battle for my life had
just begun during the first few months
pain had bad news were just the part of
the many challenges treating to break
the spirit of a wounded combat soldier
family and friends all supported me but
at the same time I felt like I was a
heavy burden on them until then I had
the huge responsibility I commanded over
130 soldiers I was a young officer with
his entire career ahead of them and now
now look at me I thought I needed my
brothers to help me change pants and
take showers I needed my mother to feed
him I thought that everything was lost
and that I would be dependent on others
forever I felt anger disappointment and
also fear I felt unworthy for my
girlfriend in one of our conversations I
told her ID pack your things and go I
don’t have anything to offer you anymore
just a piece of meat now I can’t even
eat by myself go and live the life that
you deserve to live with a stronger man
like I used to be not with the handicap
I was at the lowest point in my life and
lost hope I thought to myself God why at
the age of 24 I must live with no hands
why I deserve to suffer how should i
conquer my pain and
rise again I needed a strong reason not
a semi-auto meet ESL not rushing loudly
a nightly de vocht a meet and even out o
mighty Tesla van without some cupboards
me Bama halakha socially highlight
portal emote has work when in compassion
in affair which with energy in order to
machine a lot element to be ordered to
ha ha or chart my life my mother was
well my role model when it comes to
facing challenges I felt she was
fighting with superhuman powers just to
see me stand up on my feet again I
wanted to prove to my mother that I
could return to be the person that I
used to be to show her that a strong
spirit can take any kind of challenge
unfortunately my mother passed away
after eight years of courageous battle
with cancer even though she isn’t here
physically I wanted to prove to my
mother that I could return to be the
person that I used to be and fulfill her
last wish
this is what my injury has taught me at
your worst moment at your lowest point
you need to find that the driving force
the reason that will make you stand up
on your feet and not give up so I found
it and I didn’t give up and I progress
step after step towards will dig my new
life slowly I learned to eat to dress to
walk to take showers straight from the
beginning and it wasn’t simple as before
but I found creative solution for every
challenge I learn I learned how to drive
without arms how to cook how to write I
even found a way to play xbox with my
with my own legs and winning after one
year I began studying for my degree
majoring in law which are just graduated
after two years I got married
believe it or not to the same woman I
and until today she’s the rock of my
life as you understood I almost think
you as you understand I almost got my
life back try to live as a normal person
as much as I can I could stop there let
my disabilities manage my life manage my
day
nobody even expect more you know a
handicapped person but something was
still missing and it wasn’t only my
hands I wanted to face my deepest fear
the only thing I avoided from since my
life turned the physical aspect I wanted
to prove to myself that even with my
disabilities I could do what people with
no disabilities don’t even dream of
doing from a point in my life that I
couldn’t even walk two steps
I challenge myself to the greatest
physical condition of my life I’m
trained to the hardest competition in
the world
Ironman and yes I learn how to swim and
in the past two years I founded an
academic programs from wounded soldiers
like me foster young leadership
mentoring muted risk and even start a
social startup mostly I began sharing my
story with people all around the world
using any opportunity to convey my
message to help others to inspire them
you probably asked why was this is so
important to me to be honest I was
selfish you see a message that resonates
with me come from one of the people that
influenced me the most fellig’s andaman
a Holocaust survivor a genius physicist
and one of the most successful
entrepreneurs in the last century
he said they can take everything from
you they can take your money your car
your real estate even part of your soul
there is only one thing that no one can
take from you what you gave to others it
was the thought of lifting others that
helped me lift myself I truly believe
that giving is a great gift and I choose
to make the most of that gift every
above all the greatest gift I received
during the Battle of my life was that
incredible moment the day before that
followed anyway by the same as she
this is Shira my little angel Shira was
born albino it means that her body
cannot produce an hormone called melanin
her skin is pale her hair is white and
the biggest problem with it that it
comes with a very hard eyesight problems
to be honest my first thought was about
the future there will come time a time
that my daughter will come home after
school crying because some kids were
mean to her it will happen and like
every parents who see this child
suffering it will hurt I sought God
after everything we went through in the
past three years can we get something
good without an extra challenge but
today two years after I can tell you
with confidence that she is our biggest
that if there is any chance that someone
up there choose to send her to me it
just because my life journey provides me
with the ability to guide her how to
turn the impossible to sustainable
reality Shira gave me the opportunity to
be a role model again and thanks to my
injury I am a body a better father to
her there is one sentence that Shira
will hear for me every morning when she
wakes up and every night before she goes
to bed great people are dealing with
great things great people don’t let your
small disabilities to define who they
yes it takes me about 45 minutes to
close the bottoms of my pants so I
replaced it with velcros and yes my wife
does help me from time to time to tie my
shoes but you know what these are small
things I wanted to prove to my daughter
that when you are conquer the highest
mountain nobody will remember the small
heels you struggle to pass I believe
each and every one of us fighting his
own battle the way we handle it how we
rise from it is mostly up to us you
don’t need a near-death experience to
appreciate life make the most of your
life by giving to others and remember
great people are dealing with great
one
Moll
once more lasted the type probably we
want to be able to do again is to clap
my hand
so allow me to leave it to you again
[Music]
[Applause] [Music]
handicapped and wounded soldier who on
his last mission lost his two hands
indeed these are the facts I lost my
hands but I chose to tell my life story
differently Who I am today and what I
have achieved is mainly due to what
happened on Tuesday the 23rd of October
2012 it was the last day of my duty as a
company commander at the gavotte II
Brigade this ver tense time in Israel
South and frontier I was supposed to
complete one final mission before taking
two weeks vacation and getting a
promotion to a senior position our
mission that day was to confirm that
there were no terrorists or explosive
devices near the border at 6 a.m.
nearly at the end of that mission I
arrived to the security fence in order
to open it and allow the last Israeli
tank forces to return to Israeli
territory after we finished with
activity because of the heavy fog and
the fact that there were enemy snipers
who were likely waiting for us I was
concerned for my soldier safety and
lives therefore I decided as a commander
to lead the mission by myself I ordered
my soldiers stake two hundred and fifty
yards behind me in safe shelters and
walk towards that gate crouching and
crawling as I made my way when I arrived
there for some reason I don’t really
know to explain why my hands are
literally shaking
I opened the lock of that gate slowly
push the gate and moved about three
boom I felt an enormous explosion that
pushed me back it felt like my entire
body was on fire a few seconds later I
opened my eyes and the pain filled my
body I immediately notice that my left
hand was missing there was blood
everywhere and I remember myself trying
to reach and apply pressure on the room
nothing happened I tried again still
nothing moved when I looked on my right
hand I realized exactly why it was
almost disconnected lying on the flaming
hot soil hanging on small pieces of skin
and flesh both my arms weren’t attached
to my body in the first few seconds I
try to conquered my shock not letting I
take over me wake up this is real I yell
wake up you have to do something I told
myself yelling once again I knew that if
I wouldn’t respond immediately I will
lose a lot of blood Adventure lead I
since the explosion pulled me deeper
into Gaza
my main concern on that moment was to be
kidnapped I knew it would be the worst
thing that could happen to me as a
soldier and to Israel as a stake
understood that within minutes those
terrorists can be on their way to
kahneman getting and I don’t have my
hands anymore I can’t use my rifle to
protect myself when they do I can’t even
use the radio to report my crew with the
last of my powers I pressed my left hand
into the sand so it will stop bleeding
took with me my rifle belt from the
ground and start to collect whatever
that lost was left on my right hand
stood up using my knees and start
running with all my gear back to my
soldiers back to my crew step-by-step as
the blood poured out on my body I ran
the only thing I heard was the leaves
crushing under my booth after I ran 250
yards from the Gaza border I finally
approached my vehicle my soldiers were
in shock up and seeing my injuries my
medic and 19 years old boy just 19 years
old boy had never seen someone so badly
injured before I looked at him and said
near my brother you have two seconds to
put tourniquets on my hands or I will
bleed to death
he treated me gave me first aid as our
driver drove out from the battlefield
when we arrived to the helicopter
landing grounds my deputy le was the
first one to get there he looked on my
burned body totally shocked trying to
understand if I’m still breathing or
still alive I looked at him and the
first thing I asked him was le look at
my face and tell me the truth
I am I still pretty he looked at me
smiled and said you don’t for you still
the prettiest soldier in the Middle East
from there I was evacuated to the
hospital in critical condition after we
arrived to the trauma unit a soldier
from the IDF Medical Corp approached she
told me if we need you to call your
family and let them know that you were
injured we believe they will respond
better better if they hear your voice it
made sense to me I gave her my older
system phone number and she made the
call while the phone is ringing I
thought to myself until now despite
everything I was very calm and focused
now when I need to tell my family I have
to be even more relaxed and cool my
sister answered the phone I took a deep
breath and in the most relaxed coolest
way I told her Ella come immediately to
the hospital I lost both of my hands
at the hospital I was given 56 blood
units 56 blood units it’s equivalent to
3.2 gallons of blood 8 liters of blood
I almost replaced at my blood
circulation twice for four days I was
unconscious in the first two weeks I
went through eight surgeries hanging
between life and death
and when I finally stabilized I came to
the realization that my life was forever
changed now when the threat of death was
removed the real battle for my life had
just begun during the first few months
pain had bad news were just the part of
the many challenges treating to break
the spirit of a wounded combat soldier
family and friends all supported me but
at the same time I felt like I was a
heavy burden on them until then I had
the huge responsibility I commanded over
130 soldiers I was a young officer with
his entire career ahead of them and now
now look at me I thought I needed my
brothers to help me change pants and
take showers I needed my mother to feed
him I thought that everything was lost
and that I would be dependent on others
forever I felt anger disappointment and
also fear I felt unworthy for my
girlfriend in one of our conversations I
told her ID pack your things and go I
don’t have anything to offer you anymore
just a piece of meat now I can’t even
eat by myself go and live the life that
you deserve to live with a stronger man
like I used to be not with the handicap
I was at the lowest point in my life and
lost hope I thought to myself God why at
the age of 24 I must live with no hands
why I deserve to suffer how should i
conquer my pain and
rise again I needed a strong reason not
a semi-auto meet ESL not rushing loudly
a nightly de vocht a meet and even out o
mighty Tesla van without some cupboards
me Bama halakha socially highlight
portal emote has work when in compassion
in affair which with energy in order to
machine a lot element to be ordered to
ha ha or chart my life my mother was
well my role model when it comes to
facing challenges I felt she was
fighting with superhuman powers just to
see me stand up on my feet again I
wanted to prove to my mother that I
could return to be the person that I
used to be to show her that a strong
spirit can take any kind of challenge
unfortunately my mother passed away
after eight years of courageous battle
with cancer even though she isn’t here
physically I wanted to prove to my
mother that I could return to be the
person that I used to be and fulfill her
last wish
this is what my injury has taught me at
your worst moment at your lowest point
you need to find that the driving force
the reason that will make you stand up
on your feet and not give up so I found
it and I didn’t give up and I progress
step after step towards will dig my new
life slowly I learned to eat to dress to
walk to take showers straight from the
beginning and it wasn’t simple as before
but I found creative solution for every
challenge I learn I learned how to drive
without arms how to cook how to write I
even found a way to play xbox with my
with my own legs and winning after one
year I began studying for my degree
majoring in law which are just graduated
after two years I got married
believe it or not to the same woman I
and until today she’s the rock of my
life as you understood I almost think
you as you understand I almost got my
life back try to live as a normal person
as much as I can I could stop there let
my disabilities manage my life manage my
day
nobody even expect more you know a
handicapped person but something was
still missing and it wasn’t only my
hands I wanted to face my deepest fear
the only thing I avoided from since my
life turned the physical aspect I wanted
to prove to myself that even with my
disabilities I could do what people with
no disabilities don’t even dream of
doing from a point in my life that I
couldn’t even walk two steps
I challenge myself to the greatest
physical condition of my life I’m
trained to the hardest competition in
the world
Ironman and yes I learn how to swim and
in the past two years I founded an
academic programs from wounded soldiers
like me foster young leadership
mentoring muted risk and even start a
social startup mostly I began sharing my
story with people all around the world
using any opportunity to convey my
message to help others to inspire them
you probably asked why was this is so
important to me to be honest I was
selfish you see a message that resonates
with me come from one of the people that
influenced me the most fellig’s andaman
a Holocaust survivor a genius physicist
and one of the most successful
entrepreneurs in the last century
he said they can take everything from
you they can take your money your car
your real estate even part of your soul
there is only one thing that no one can
take from you what you gave to others it
was the thought of lifting others that
helped me lift myself I truly believe
that giving is a great gift and I choose
to make the most of that gift every
above all the greatest gift I received
during the Battle of my life was that
incredible moment the day before that
followed anyway by the same as she
this is Shira my little angel Shira was
born albino it means that her body
cannot produce an hormone called melanin
her skin is pale her hair is white and
the biggest problem with it that it
comes with a very hard eyesight problems
to be honest my first thought was about
the future there will come time a time
that my daughter will come home after
school crying because some kids were
mean to her it will happen and like
every parents who see this child
suffering it will hurt I sought God
after everything we went through in the
past three years can we get something
good without an extra challenge but
today two years after I can tell you
with confidence that she is our biggest
that if there is any chance that someone
up there choose to send her to me it
just because my life journey provides me
with the ability to guide her how to
turn the impossible to sustainable
reality Shira gave me the opportunity to
be a role model again and thanks to my
injury I am a body a better father to
her there is one sentence that Shira
will hear for me every morning when she
wakes up and every night before she goes
to bed great people are dealing with
great things great people don’t let your
small disabilities to define who they
yes it takes me about 45 minutes to
close the bottoms of my pants so I
replaced it with velcros and yes my wife
does help me from time to time to tie my
shoes but you know what these are small
things I wanted to prove to my daughter
that when you are conquer the highest
mountain nobody will remember the small
heels you struggle to pass I believe
each and every one of us fighting his
own battle the way we handle it how we
rise from it is mostly up to us you
don’t need a near-death experience to
appreciate life make the most of your
life by giving to others and remember
great people are dealing with great
one
Moll
once more lasted the type probably we
want to be able to do again is to clap
my hand
so allow me to leave it to you again
[Music]
[Applause] [Music]
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