"My husband Shachar z"l passed away suddenly from a heart attack. He left me with 6 little children, the youngest not yet three. I'm turning to you for assistance."
She was truly an exemplary wife to her husband Rav Shachar; a big part of her life is spent coping with a girl who suffers from a difficult syndrome. Just recently, during Sukkos, her husband suddenly collapsed and left this world. Now, for the first time, she is tearfully telling her story here and crying for your help. We can't remain deaf to her pleas >>>
For help and donations to Hila and her family, click here
"Hello. My name is Hila. I am a widowed woman; until recently I was just about the happiest wife alive, but not completely. My life has been difficult, what with the constant travel between our home and medical centers and hospitals, plus considerable anxiety; and quite suddenly it completely changed. Not for the better…
I won't begin at the end. I specifically want to start at the beginning. At a young age, like most of my friends, I married my heart's choice: a successful young man, with outstanding fear of Heaven and wonderful character traits. I couldn't have asked for better. He was the best husband in the world!
After a year, my husband and I were hugging a baby girl; a good child with an elevated soul. But then, just a few days after her birth, we understood that something wasn't right.
Tests, phone calls, anxiety- and then the doctor broke the news to us- she suffers from a rare type of Down's syndrome.
From that day, our lives changed beyond recognition. We ran day and night to hospitals, spoke with doctors and known experts, and did everything we could for her. She had to undergo more than 25 (!) operations to free her from the machines which were connected to all parts of her little body.
Suffering which is impossible to describe, simply impossible- and I, as a mother, saw my beloved daughter suffer, tortured, crying. My heart went out to her; we paid an absolute fortune that we didn't have; we did everything for her, to help her get better. We didn't have money, but we somehow managed to scrape it together; we limited our expenses to nearly zero. Anything for our daughter!
I didn't manage to do nearly anything; my husband Shachar did everything for me. He cared for the girl; he somehow got ahold of money we didn't have; he supported me and my family and he was the father of the home in every sense of the word. He did everything for us. He took everything upon his narrow shoulders.
But then, on Sukkot, it happened. I was in the house. My husband Shachar was sitting in the sukkah, and suddenly I heard my daughter screaming, "Ima come here quickly!" My blood froze in my veins; I came and saw my beloved husband lying on the floor unconscious.
Hatzala was summoned and performed resuscitation procedures, but at the end, they approached me with shuttered expressions and relayed to me almost the worst possible news…Shachar was taken to the hospital in critical condition; after a short time there, he left this world. He left me alone- truly alone!
From then, my life changed completely.
I can barely function. The entire welfare of the family fell on my shoulders: the money, the debts, my daughter's treatments- I need to do everything. The tragedy doesn't get less intense as the time passes; it is very difficult for me. I don't sleep at night. I keep crying and crying; I cry over the dear husband I had, who, out of the blue, was taken to the world that is totally good.
I cry over my poor daughter, who has no one to care for her, over myself and my bitter lot, over the difficult life that was decreed for me. I cry and plead before you, dear fellow Jews, please help me! Please, do this kindness for me; do a bit to return the smile to my face; a bit to bring light to my home, which is almost falling apart.
Good people, after everything I've gone through in life, please, help me and my family have some stability. We've already been through so very much. Help us have a better life. Thank you very much, with all my heart."
Hila
For help and donations to Hila and her family, click here