"You were an amazing child, with superpowers": The heartbreaking eulogy of a father to his son who passed away from cancer
Omer Etzioni passed away after nearly seven years of battling cancer, which was discovered when he was only two and a half years old. His father, Hadar, shared the difficult moments, the shattered hopes, and the family memories that will always stay with him.
Hadar Etzioni delivered a eulogy for his son Omer, who was about nine years old at the time of his death, having passed away after nearly seven years of battling cancer. In a personal and painful eulogy, the father described the years of struggle against the disease, the hopes that were gradually shattered, and the family moments that continued to accompany Omer even during the most difficult times.
"Looking back, one can see Omer's life as a war for survival full of struggles and difficulties," the father wrote. According to him, Omer underwent dozens of surgeries, radiation treatments, and tests, but alongside the medical struggle, he managed to travel the world, enjoy water parks, roller coasters, and moments of laughter with his family members.
Hadar recounted that Omer first fell ill when he was two and a half years old. For years, it seemed that he had managed to overcome the disease, but last May it turned out that the tumor had returned and penetrated the brainstem. After another surgery and three weeks in intensive care, the family decided to fly to Austria for radiation treatments.
Last January, the father said, the disease returned once again, and the doctors were no longer able to offer a treatment plan that could change his condition.
"Suddenly, the dreams were to reach the pool he loved so much for a few more seasons, to ride a bicycle and a motorcycle for a few more years, maybe to reach a Bar Mitzvah," he wrote.
During this difficult period, the family decided to go on a joint vacation to Thailand to accumulate more experiences together. After they returned to Israel, Omer's condition began to gradually deteriorate.
At the end of the eulogy, Hadar said goodbye to his son with the words:
"Our Omer, you were an amazing child, with superpowers. You had a huge smile and a thousand faces, you had a crazy sense of humor, and you were a beloved child. I promise you that I will never forget all the times we rolled with laughter together, the million beautiful moments and also the difficult ones. Loving with endless love, Dad Hadar."
