2nd Lt. Aharon Karov was called up for service in Gaza the morning after his wedding and critically wounded in combat, as reported here on Matzav.com. Today, he saluted the doctors who three weeks ago gave him scant hours to live – and left the hospital. Aharon Karov, who made an impossible recovery after being mortally wounded during Operation Cast Lead, received the rank of lieutenant at a ceremony held in Beit Lid today. Karov was alerted to the battle in Gaza the day after his wedding and fought with the paratroopers who commanded the northern Strip. He was seriously wounded when his force stumbled upon a booby-trapped house on January 13, and sustained over 300 shrapnel injuries.Against all odds, Karov made a miraculous recovery and even managed to go home for certain periods during his treatment. He also maintained close contact with the troops under his command.
The young commander spoke with his soldiers during the ceremony, hugged each one of them, and personally bestowed upon each his combat pin. He was saluted and urged to return to the brigade as soon as possible.
“It was more than exciting to see Aharon, who only two months ago was hovering between life and death, come here and stand with his soldiers as an irreplaceable part of the squadron. There’s no doubt he will return as an ordinary commander,” said one of the soldiers present at the ceremony.
He said Karov was still receiving treatment and that the time of his return remained unclear, but that he was deserving of his new rank. “There wasn’t a single person watching the ceremony that wasn’t moved,” he said.
{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel/Ynet}
Thank you for the lesson in hakaras hatov. Doctors are messengers of hashem in healing, and deserve a ‘yasher koach’ and words of hakaras hatov. Thank you Commander Karov for teaching us this impt lesson.