A violin prodigy lost her dream. Then she found a new mission: Saving lives.

For years, Ghadir Saleh, 20, from the Druze city of Maghar, believed her future would be on the world’s greatest concert stages. A gifted violinist since the age of nine, she represented Israel on international delegations and later taught music to at-risk children and youngsters on the autism spectrum. Then everything changed.

A serious accident at 16 exposed how unprepared those around her were to respond in an emergency, leaving a lasting mark as she endured months of recovery. Soon afterward, doctors delivered another devastating blow, telling her she would have to reduce the strain on her hands, effectively ending her dream of becoming a professional musician.

Today, the former violin prodigy is being honored by Magen David Adom on Israel’s National Paramedic Day. Serving aboard Mobile Intensive Care Units, she now races to life-threatening emergencies across the country. “It doesn’t matter what religion I am or what religion my patient is,” she said. “It’s about one person helping another.”

emergency responseGhadir SalehMagen David AdomMDAparamedic