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'Unbelievable full circle': Terror attack survivor’s kidney saves rescuer’s brother 24 years later

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • A survivor of a 2002 terrorist attack donated a kidney to the brother of the man who saved his life during that incident.
  • The connection was discovered shortly before the transplant when the donor, Yonatan Rom, met the recipient, Reuven Tam.
  • The incident highlights an extraordinary coincidence and the altruism of organ donation.

An extraordinary coincidence has brought together a terror attack survivor and the brother of his rescuer through an altruistic kidney donation. Yonatan Rom, who was teaching at a pre-military academy in 2002 when a terrorist attack occurred, decided to participate in an Israeli paired kidney exchange program as an anonymous donor.

Your brother saved my life 24 years ago, and today I am saving yours with my kidney.

— Yonatan RomThe kidney donor speaking to the recipient after discovering their connection.

Shortly before his scheduled transplant, Rom met the recipient, Reuven Tam, at Clalit-Beilinson Hospital. During their conversation, they discovered that Tam's brother, Eyal Tam, was the emergency response squad commander who neutralized the terrorist during the 2002 attack that killed five students and injured 21 others.

We feel wonderful. I want to thank Yonatan for giving me a new chance at life. We hope to remain friends for the rest of our lives.

— Reuven TamThe kidney recipient expressing his gratitude and hopes for the future.

"Your brother saved my life 24 years ago, and today I am saving yours with my kidney," Rom told Tam, emphasizing the remarkable full circle of the event. Eyal Tam had arrived at the scene and stopped the attacker, preventing further casualties.

Altruistic kidney donors truly embody the meaning of altruism. They make an extraordinary decision to save the life of someone they have never met.

— Dr. Eviatar NesherDirector of the Transplant Department at Clalit-Beilinson Hospital, commenting on the donor's actions.

Tam expressed his gratitude, stating, "We feel wonderful. I want to thank Yonatan for giving me a new chance at life. We hope to remain friends for the rest of our lives." Hospital officials described the connection as an "almost unbelievable full circle," marveling at the low probability of such a specific reunion among the thousands of potential donors and recipients.

What are the chances that, out of all the donors and recipients, these two people would be brought together, the recipient whose brother had once saved the donor's life during a terrorist attack?

— Anat BrigerTransplant Coordinator at Clalit-Beilinson Hospital, remarking on the improbable connection.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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