Exclusive – Youngest Life-Saver in Israel
A 13-year-old boy saved his 4-year-old sister from choking and was awarded a certificate from United Hatzalah
Jerusalem – A certificate of appreciation from United Hatzalah was awarded to a Bar Mitzvah boy (13-years-old) who saved the life of his four-year-old sister this past week.
Rafael Rahamim, the son of United Hatzalah volunteer Yonatan Bellalou, brings his sister back from kindergarten every day.
Earlier this week, Rafael Rahamim returned home with his sister, as usual, and was speaking on the phone with his mother. Suddenly, he heard his sister wheezing and choking in the other room. The boy immediately dropped the phone and ran over to see what was happening to her.
The girl had choked on a piece of candy she was eating. Thankfully, Rafael was alert and immediately realized that his sister was in distress and was choking. He kept calm and remembered what his father taught him about how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver. He acted quickly and the candy was dislodged from the young girl’s throat, saving her life.
At the United Hatzalah headquarters, they were moved by the story and decided to give the boy a certificate of appreciation and excellence at his bar mitzvah party, for being the youngest lifesaver in the country.
The Director of the United Hatzalah branch in Jerusalem, Miki Cohen, attended the bar mitzvah ceremony and presented the certificate, praising the boy for his quick thinking and his life-saving actions. Miki likewise thanked the father for his constant dedication to saving lives and for passing on his knowledge to his son.
