The Nova Music Festival was in full swing on the morning of Saturday, October 7. The sun was shining, the music playing, and thousands of young men and women were dancing and enjoying life. But everything was suddenly cut short by the sound of red alert sirens. Shortly thereafter, murderous Hamas terrorists arrived unexpectedly at the party site near Kibbutz Reim, heavily armed and ready to kill as many festival attendees as they could.
Among the many partygoers was Guy Drucker, 25, from the city of Holon. Guy went to the party with three of his friends. His two best friends, San and Ofek, were murdered at the festival, and Guy was seriously injured.
As soon as the terrorists showed up, Guy ran and hid in a sheltered bunker with other partygoers as well as two policemen who were killed fighting against the dozens of terrorists. The terrorists then surrounded the bunker, which was designed to accommodate 10 people but in reality, at those moments, held 40 young people, frightened and crowded as they sought safety; that shelter turned out to be a death trap.
First, the terrorists sprayed the entrance to the bunker with bullets, then threw a stun grenade inside. Anyone who came out of the shelter was shot dead. They then threw two fragmentation grenades into the bunker, and one rolled under Guy’s leg. When the grenade exploded, it shattered Guy’s right leg. He tried to crawl out of the shelter, passing by the bodies of his friends, but he lost consciousness.
Not long after, a man in a black shirt entered the bunker to search for survivors, and not seeing any, prepared to leave. Luckily, Guy, with the last of his strength, managed to wake up in time and say: “I’m dying, please save me.” Guy’s savior dragged Guy to his car, and they quickly took off.
During the drive, Guy discovered seemingly superhuman powers, and in a moment of ingenuity, made himself an arterial tourniquet using the car’s seatbelt. After several minutes of driving under fire, they encountered an ambulance on the road that evacuated Guy to Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.
Guy’s mother said that from the early morning hours, they lost touch with Guy and did not know what had happened to him. “From 7 in the morning until 11 on Saturday, it was hell for me,” she said. “Until we received a message that Guy was in the operating room, our souls went dark.”
Since October 7, Guy has undergone another five surgeries, including a nine-hour surgery, and received seven blood transfusions. Now, he has been transferred to the rehabilitation department at the Tel Hashomer Hospital and has a long recovery ahead of him. In addition to his loving family who is by his side at every moment, Guy and his family are receiving financial and emotional support from The Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror (FVOT), which will help Guy to get back on his feet. The FVOT, often the first responder for families and individuals impacted by terror, distributes immediate grants within 24-48 hours of a direct attack, offering support for short-term needs and helping with long-term rehabilitation and post-trauma care.
“It’s a miracle that I’m alive here,” shared Guy from his hospital bed. “We’re trying to be strong. And I will be strong. And I’m grateful to the Fund for Victims of Terror for all the help I’m getting from them.”
The Fund for Victims of Terror is made possible by the generosity of the Jewish Federations of North America / United Israel Appeal, Keren Hayesod, foundations and donors worldwide and people like you. Our aid is critical for victims’ immediate well-being and long-term recovery and we are currently operating and supporting more victims on a wider scale than ever before. To support the Fund, donate here.
