Hostage survivor Evyatar David asks for public help: "Dealing with PTSD"
Hostage survivor Evyatar David has spoken publicly for the first time about his challenging rehabilitation journey. He is seeking public support to help fund his recovery from PTSD and trauma.
For the first time since returning from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, hostage survivor Evyatar David published a post this morning (Thursday) on social media, revealing the complex rehabilitation process he has been undergoing and asking for the public's help in funding it.
"I am dealing with PTSD and flashbacks. There are moments when I am in a safe place, surrounded by people I love, but my head still goes back there. I am not writing so that people will pity me, but because I want to win this battle too. But the rehabilitation journey is long, and my friends and family have opened a crowdfunding campaign for me so that I can focus on recovery."
At the beginning of his remarks, he wrote: "I don't know why I felt I needed to share this right now. Maybe because after more than two years in captivity, I was sure that after what I had been through, nothing would be too much for me anymore." Regarding the horrors at the music festival, he recalled: "I went to dance at Nova, and in an instant my life turned upside down. I was kidnapped, put into a dark tunnel, and all I thought about was surviving one more day. And another day. Until I returned home."
Reflecting on his captivity and the realization that a part of him remained in the tunnels, he said: "In the moments when I almost broke, what kept me going were the thoughts of my parents, my family, my friends, and the hope that no one would give up on me. But slowly I realized that even when you return home, not everything comes back with you."
David also spoke about his future goals: "I don't just want to look okay. My dream is to rehabilitate, get married, start a family in Israel, and truly return to life." He expressed deep gratitude for the support he received upon his return: "When I returned home, I received more love than one can imagine. People I didn't know told me they prayed for my return. After everything I saw there, the people of Israel reminded me that there is also good in the world."
To donate to fund Evyatar David's rehabilitation process, click here.
