First Lieutenant Shai Abukasis
Shai’s mother Daniela: “Shai truly was a gift from G-d. He was the first son after two daughters, with golden curls and a charming smile. Everyone loved him. He was very warm and open and took life with ease and happiness. I remember that the entire Shiva I waited for Shai to come in and say ‘what is wrong with you? Snap out of it already’…I would wait for him on Fridays and I wouldn’t relax until I heard his footsteps. A full year after he died I left him a plate at his seat at the table. I would wait by the door just in case he would come. I take care of all of his things: clothes, letters, credit cards, bank statements. Everything is important to me. Even when we moved, I left everything here and we created a corner in his memory. I loved him very much. How could you not? He was my life”.