Last Tuesday United Hatzalah volunteer first responders were called to an emergency on Dov Hoz street in Holon. Five volunteers arrived at the scene in order to assist in an emergency where a person had lost consciousness. The volunteers succeeded in reviving and stabilizing the man and prepping for transport to the hospital. After the ambulance left with the patient, the first responders headed to a nearby store in order to purchase some drinks to refresh themselves.
When they arrived at the cash register of “Daniel’s Drinks” (Mashkaot Daniel) located nearby, the store owner refused to take any money and asked the volunteers to accept the drinks on behalf of the residents of the neighborhood who appreciate the hard work and self-sacrifice of the volunteers.
“You do holy work that helps all of us and you do it for free. These drinks are the least that I can do to help you on your mission of saving lives,” the store owner told the volunteers.
Ami Cohen, who was one of the volunteers present said: “The store owner absolutely refused payment. We offered numerous times but he wouldn’t accept it and said that the drinks are his way of thanking us for the work that we do. It is actions like these, these small gestures of thanks, that are so enormous in our minds. They stay with us and remind us that we help make a difference. I want to thank the store owner for his recognition of our work and his generosity.”
Head of the Bat Yam and Holon chapter of United Hatzalah Yehuda Mizrachi said: “These types of stories really move me emotionally. Our volunteers work night and day and put their own lives on the line to save lives. When people from the community stop and say thank you to our volunteers it is something really special that we all take heart from. I too wish to thank the store owner of Daniel’s Drinks for the appreciation that he showed our volunteers. I wish him much success in his business. On behalf of the organization, I also wish to thank the volunteers themselves who helped save this man’s life.”
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