‘I can’t bear this pain’ — Nova survivor takes his own life

Nova Festival survivor Roei Shalev, 30, ended his life nearly two years after witnessing his girlfriend’s murder.

By World Israel News Staff

A man who survived the Nova Festival massacre but witnessed his girlfriend’s murder took his own life on Friday evening — almost exactly two years after the Hamas-led slaughter in southern Israel.

Roei Shalev, 30, posted a farewell message on his Instagram account, prompting worried relatives and friends to search for him.

In his final message, Roei wrote that he couldn’t “bear this pain anymore” and asked his loved ones not to be angry with him.

“I’ve never felt such suffering in my life. I just want this…to end. I’m alive, but inside everything is dead,” he wrote.

He was reportedly seen buying a can of gasoline at a gas station shortly after writing the post. Hours later, his body was found in a burning car near the coastal city of Netanya.

On October 7, 2023, Roei was shot by Hamas terrorists while fleeing the Nova Music Festival with his girlfriend, Mapal Adam. Though wounded, he survived — but Mapal was fatally struck and died in his arms.

Mapal’s sister, Maayan, a well-known Israeli media personality and television host, shared her heartbreak on Instagram after learning of Roei’s death.

“Roei was murdered on October 7 and died yesterday,” Maayan Adam wrote on Saturday, alongside a photo of the couple. “I have no words, and it will take time to find them. I hope these two kids are hugging and smiling right now.”

While Roei remained active in the Nova Festival survivors’ community, he was contending with losses beyond that of his girlfriend.

A close childhood friend, Hili Solomon, was also murdered at the festival.

Compounding Roei’s grief, just two weeks after the massacre, his mother committed suicide.

In an interview with Mako in December 2023, Roei told the Hebrew-language outlet that his mother had no previous mental health issues.

He said he believed that the extensive trauma of that day, including his injuries and the murders of his girlfriend and childhood friend, had simply been too much for her to endure.

Roei is survived by his father and sister.

The Nova Community Association eulogized Roei in a statement while urging family members and friends to be vigilant about survivors’ mental health challenges.

“We have endured a lot of pain over these past two years,” the group said. “We survived it together, and together we will overcome and endure this unimaginable moment of grief.”