Roni Yichye Z"L

Last Wednesday I lost a friend when he was killed by a Kassam rocket launched by terrorists in Gaza.
Ronni Yichye Z"L, was killed a little after 4 pm. The rocket slammed into the sidewalk next to the parking lot just a few feet from Ronni. The explosion from the rocket blasted into Ronni and sent him flying. He landed at least a yard away critically wounded.

Large pieces of shrapnel had cut one of the main arteries around his heart and smaller fragments had also hit the heart itself, blood spurted out of his upper chest as the Sapir College security guard ran to his side. "His eyes were still open and he tried to say something but was unable to his eyes then rolled back and I new he was gone" Said Asher the security guard. "I didn't know what to do, I started yelling to people call an ambulance, then I realized that I had a phone I grabbed it out of my pocket and called 101 for an ambulance. I stood there with my phone in on hand and my radio in the other yelling into both AMBULANCE".

Meanwhile students gathered around to see what had happened. Student's who are IDF reserve medics responded to the scene grabbing previously positioned emergency medical bags from their locations and began doing their best to save his life.

I arrived on scene seconds ofter the medics had arrived. I took one look at Ronni and knew that he had suffered a severe wound. A professor who was also lightly injured in the foot was also being attended to a few yards away. I began to clear the aria and yelled at students who were not helping to clear away from the scene and let the medics do their job.

It took many long minutes for the ambulance to arrive, partly because the operator kept asking for a description of the situation and the security guard kept yelling back over the phone "I'm a security guard at Sapir College I have a wounded man, send an ambulance now!", she said back "yes I'll order an ambulance, but first what do you see?".

Security forces began to arrive as well and take control of the situation. Roni was taken to the hospital in Ashkelon where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

On campus we knew what had happened and after verifying with a friend that it was him, I called one of our faculty staff to inform them of the situation. Along with accompanying his family the logistics department is preparing a remembrance book.

Ronni was 47 and is survived by his wife and four children ages 8 to 18. His oldest son just began his army service a few months ago.

I will always remember Ronni whether from class or the campus synagogue as a humble, quiet and straight forward person, who would never speak bad about anyone. The most I can do is try to be more like him, be more humble and guard my tongue more and try to follow the example he left.

May his memory be blessed.