Liroy Alex, a 28-year old locksmith from Chicago, had the shock of his life when he found himself in the middle of a terrorist attack on a music festival he was attending in Israel.
A group of armed militants had descended from the sky after paragliding over the Israeli border from Gaza, where they opened fire on the 3,000 people attending the Supernova Festival.
Alex recounted how he had initially mistaken the loud bangs for fireworks: “We were joking that they took care of fireworks for us. But then they stopped the music to tell us of a rocket attack, which is not unusual for the south of Israel.”
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the group of three managed to reach their vehicle and escape but were soon pursued by the terrorists.
“As we slowed down, we saw another biker being hit. That’s when I decided to turn around and they [the terrorists] started shooting at our car. That was when another roadblock suddenly appeared.”
The car was hit by several bullets, shattering the windows and sending pieces of glass into Alex’s eyes. Shaken and without a way forward, the group stopped at a nearby construction site and attempted to call emergency services.
Unfortunately, help was out of reach and Alex’s friend’s girlfriend died from her injuries. While waiting for assistance, Alex filmed his ordeal, showing the confusion and chaos of the situation.
Thirteen hours after the terror had begun, help had finally arrived – Alex and his friend were rescued by soldiers.
Alex spent the past week in the hospital in Israel, undergoing a number of operations for his serious injuries as he still had many of the bullets inside his body.
The doctors handed him the bullets that ended up in his hip and back, saying he is extremely lucky to be able to walk after they hit close to his spine. He is still unable to see out of his left eye and it is uncertain if he will ever regain full sight.
Lucky to be alive, Alex is now receiving support from family members in Israel with the intention to return to his hometown of Chicago in the near future.
