Another soldier was saved when his helmet stopped a round inches from his skull.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

A soldier who was critically wounded in an IDF operation early Friday morning in Syria will recover after emergency surgery, even as the bullet that nearly killed him remains lodged in his heart.

The man had been wearing a bulletproof vest when he was shot, which slowed the bullet down enough that it penetrated the walls of tissue separating the left and right sides of the heart but did not pass completely through.

He underwent a “complex and challenging operation,” according to Prof. Gil Bolotin, head of the cardiothoracic surgery department at Rambam Hospital, where the soldier was immediately flown after the battle.

“It included opening the chest both from the side and the front in order to stop the source of the bleeding,” he said.

When they found the embedded bullet, he said, “in a quick consultation we unanimously decided to leave it alone…. Later we’ll see how to continue treatment. We may have to operate again to remove the bullet from the heart, we may decide to do it by catheterization, and there is definitely a possibility that the ball will remain where it is.”

The patient was stable and communicating with those around him in the intensive care unit, the doctor said.

Six soldiers in all were wounded in the raid to capture two brothers who were members of the Al-Jama’a al-Islamiyya terror group and were planning imminent attacks on Israel in Beit Jinn, a village about seven kilometers inside Syrian territory.

At least 13 terrorists were killed in the firefight that began as the Israeli troops were leaving with their prisoners, according to the IDF.

One other soldier also underwent life-saving surgery at Rambam, and is now in stable condition, with a third soldier in serious condition and the others either moderately or lightly hurt.

i24NEWS reported Sunday that another one of the wounded was also saved by his military gear.

A bullet went through the Kevlar coating of the man’s helmet and stopped with its point sticking out of the inner padding, without touching the soldier’s head, the report said.

Two other bullets hit him in the leg, however, causing moderate injuries.

A picture of the embedded bullet has been making the rounds on the internet, with people calling it a “miracle” that the soldier was not killed.

The post Soldier survives Syria firefight with bullet lodged in his heart appeared first on World Israel News.

‘Your presence shows that even in difficult times, we can find strength in unity,’ said Eli Beer, United Hatzalah president and founder.

By JNS

American boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. is donating $100,000 to buy 100 bulletproof vests for Israeli medical volunteers on the front lines, in his latest show of support for the Jewish state.

The gift was announced on Monday evening, at an annual Jerusalem concert for the United Hatzalah volunteer emergency-rescue service that raised funds for the purchase of 1,000 protective kits for its volunteers.

About 3,000 people attended the sold-out event organized by the Jerusalem-based service at the city’s International Convention Center, which included performances by Israeli singers Ishay Ribo, Gad Elbaz and Shmuel Star.

“Your presence shows that even in difficult times, we can find strength in unity,” said Eli Beer, United Hatzalah president and founder. “Let’s continue to stand together for our soldiers, our volunteers and our community.”

Mayweather, 47, from Las Vegas, is a boxing promoter and former professional boxer who competed between 1996 and 2017. He retired undefeated with an 50-0 record and won 15 major world championships spanning five weight classes from super featherweight to light middleweight.

Earlier this year, he visited Israel in a wartime solidarity trip wearing a large Star of David necklace. At the time, he dedicated a fleet of ambulances to Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service.

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