Away from the winds that have agitated the Israeli public in recent days, seven members of Or Ascher’s family sit in the Beit Ha’am in the seat of Mishmar Ayalon. Comforters come in and out, trying to find words to comfort the grieving family members. After a long farewell journey of 11 days, the death of 32-year-old Or Ascher, who was mortally wounded in the shooting attack on Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv on March 9, was pronounced at the beginning of this week.
Ascher, Rotem Mansano and Michael Osdon, who were on their way to the wedding, were injured. The terrorist, a resident of Nelin village, was killed during the pursuit. On the night of the attack, Ascher arrived at the hospital after prolonged resuscitation in the field, and was transferred to the operating room where, against all odds, the doctors managed to stabilize his condition. The announcement published this week by the director of the Ichilov Hospital, Prof. Roni Gemzo, upon the death of Ascher taught about the same qualities that his friends and acquaintances attest to. “Unfortunately, the intensity of the damage was fatal and after a heroic struggle of many days, in which we saw an iron man fight for his life, today we had to determine his death.”
Ascher was an outstanding soldier during his military service in Falchan Givati. When he was released, he turned to the field of business and high-tech. He lived in Tel Aviv, studied for a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in business administration, worked in the field of computer science, and at the same time competed in “Iron Man” competitions, including the last world championship in Hawaii.
“I had two artillery soldiers in particular, one of them was Or,” says Ran Atias, his commander in the army. “Always a big head, always initiating steps beyond the usual orders. When I started commanding rookies I was told that the problem and also the advantage with them is that they do everything they are told, the way they are told. Laur had a big head, thinking ‘beyond’. Even as a rookie he was big head , asks and inquires about the orders. In everything he stood out very much.
“It’s hard to believe, but in the past Or hated running. He would bargain with me – what exercises he could do instead of going for a run. I had to push him to pass a course test.” But then the turning point occurred. “When he started training and doing it willingly,” says Atias, “I couldn’t believe my eyes. Or completed another triathlon, another marathon, another Iron Man.”
In a post he published on Facebook, Atias wrote: “From the moment we met, there was a click. Not that I was too good at being at a distance, but it was impossible to remain tough in front of you. A beautiful boy, an embarrassed look, with a captivating smile. You were the soldier closest to me in the team. After we got to the unit, we were almost friends, and from there the road was paved for friendships. Even for my wedding, you traveled half the country by yourself on the rainiest day of the year.”
Since the release, the two have tried to keep in touch. “For a certain period he had a bar in Jerusalem and later in Tel Aviv. We would sit there from time to time, but pretty quickly he moved on. He was a guy for whom the world seemed too small. I would sometimes meet him at the airport. When I asked where he was going, he would say that he I want to change the atmosphere and am going to work in Dubai or Greece.”
After the serious injury, Ascher’s friends and family accompanied him during hospitalization. “In the hospital,” recalls Atias, “we look at the screen with the indicators. Heart rate 60, normal blood pressure, pulsing like an animal – I was filled with optimism, here you are getting out of it. On the night of the fourth day, deterioration began, but we knew that if anyone could get out of it, it was only You. But this week I received a message from the team, ‘Or has left us, an organ transplant operation is starting’. You lived like an iron man, you fell like an iron man. Thank you for amazing moments.” Ascher’s heart was transplanted in a 65-year-old man, a liver in a 75-year-old man and a liver lobe in a one-year-old and three-month-old baby, a kidney in a 52-year-old man and another kidney in a 59-year-old man.
“During the eleven days that Or was in the hospital and we were by his side, we experienced a kind of long and painful separation,” one of his close friends told us. “I’ve known him since I was 15, following a common hobby – motorcycles. Or was very talented and very accomplished, but he didn’t run to show it to anyone. He rode like a champion, but with himself, in his own quiet, introverted and humble.
“He would bargain with me – what exercises to do instead of going for a run. I had to push him to pass a track test. When he started training voluntarily I couldn’t believe my eyes. He succeeded in a triathlon, a marathon, an Iron Man”
“Or created a special life for himself. We were together in the IDF as well, he was talented and very prominent. The highlight was recently, when we both competed in the Ironman competitions and reached the world championship together. It was a dream we both had, and he achieved it in half the time it took me. He was a man who has a goal and does everything to meet it and succeeds. His friends appreciated and admired him, and everyone felt that he was their best friend. At every wedding he was the happiest and happiest.”
In the eulogies given by the family members at the funeral, the pain was evident – and alongside it was also a great deal of pride. “My big brother, I couldn’t help but admire and admire you,” said Eyal Ascher from above his bed. “I always proudly carried the title ‘Brother of Light’, and I was elated when I would meet people from your world who said that I resembled you in speech and behavior. I had the privilege of expressing my great love for you in our conversation, which became the last, and I hope you felt it all the days of your life.”
Ascher also stood out in his work. “We have been friends since 2015,” says his colleague Eli Zilberman, “but our in-depth acquaintance began in 2018, when we worked at a company called ‘Shukit.’ And good morning’.
“It was impossible not to notice his presence. Handsome, smiling, smart and impressive by any measure, a true friend and an outstanding person. Everything that touched his responsibilities – he did everything to be in his details, and insisted on researching, leading and knowing.
“In the last few days, I broke our messages from Mimi Shukit, and I came across a message that summed it all up. I told him about a problem, and he already explained how he solved it. Every conversation or recording of his message started with a loud voice and a smile. The way he made me feel so good around him, I’m learning Now how much he touched hundreds of other people.”
