The passengers aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Sept. 30 were expected to arrive home. Instead, they faced a terrifying emergency that demanded someone act.
In what Israel is calling a terror attack, one pilot stabbed another and apparently tried to crash the aircraft. Passengers and crew, including numerous Israelis, intervened, subdued the attacker, and the plane was landed safely in Saudi Arabia. Clearly, this story is one of extraordinary courage in the face of danger.
For me, the incident raises a question that deserves to remain with us long after the story disappears from the headlines: Who steps forward for the people who step forward for everyone else?
This question is personal. My stepson survived the massacre at the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, 2023. When I think about that day, I think about him and the future he should have been free to take for granted. I think about the families whose children never came home.
As a mother, I am profoundly grateful that my stepson survived. As CEO of Warriors of Israel, I carry that gratitude into our work supporting those who risked their lives to protect others and now need help rebuilding their own. Their courage can change the outcome of an emergency in seconds. Recovering from the injuries they suffer can take a lifetime.
We readily understand what strength makes possible when we see someone confronting an immediate threat. We are less accustomed to recognizing the strength required to rebuild afterward.
A wounded warrior working to regain mobility, return to school, earn a living or reconnect with family is exercising courage, too. That effort deserves our attention even when there is no dramatic footage to share.
A week after the flydubai incident, Israel will mark the third anniversary of Oct. 7. We will remember the people murdered in their homes and communities, the young people massacred at Nova, the hostages kidnapped to Gaza and the families whose lives were shattered. We will also remember those who rushed toward danger to defend strangers, rescue neighbors and fight for their country.
For my family, this anniversary will never be simply a date on the calendar. For wounded survivors and those injured in the fighting that followed, the passage of three years does not mean their recovery is complete. A calendar cannot tell someone when pain should ebb or when a future should feel possible again.
Who steps forward for the people who step forward for everyone else?
Some wounds are visible. Others emerge in sleepless nights, isolation or the difficulty of returning to ordinary routines. Families carry consequences, too. Spouses, parents and children must navigate changes they never expected, often while trying to provide the stability their loved one needs. Survival is precious. It is also the beginning of our responsibility to help people move forward.
We ask extraordinary things of those who serve. We should be equally serious about helping them live their lives after their service.
At Warriors of Israel, the American partner of the Zahal Disabled Veterans Organization, we support lifelong rehabilitation through Israel’s Beit Halochem network. That work includes physical and mental-health support, adaptive sports, education, career development and services for families. Together, these resources help wounded warriors regain independence and build meaningful lives.
The goal is personal. It is the freedom to make plans again, pursue a profession, participate in family life, and find friendship and purpose in a community that understands what recovery demands.
Americans who have supported wounded veterans will recognize this responsibility. Gratitude for military service carries an obligation that extends beyond ceremonies and public praise. It requires sustained attention to what veterans and their families need, including years after they suffer an injury. That principle should guide our support for Israel’s wounded warriors as well.
The flydubai emergency offered a dramatic glimpse of what decisive action can accomplish. The injured captain, the crew and the passengers who intervened all deserve recognition. Their actions remind us how much can depend on people willing to accept personal risk to protect the lives around them.
A person’s worth does not diminish when an injury changes what that person can physically do. We owe wounded warriors support because of their sacrifice and their humanity. Their right to a full life is already earned.
As Oct. 7 approaches, remembrance should lead to commitment. Those who wish to honor Israel’s defenders can help sustain rehabilitation, support their families, and create opportunities for education and employment. They can stay involved after the anniversary passes and public attention moves elsewhere.
We celebrate heroes when they save lives. We must also stand beside them as they rebuild their own.
