Eli

For Eli, retreat was never an option. Even though he had been hit by shrapnel, bleeding from head to foot, his entire unit wiped out, and facing overwhelming odds, he would not abandon his position in his tank. This all during the 1973 Yom Kippur war in the Sinai desert. For this, he won his country’s highest award for bravery.

Today, blind, only one arm and suffering from the effects of PTSD from the tank battle, Eli reflects on that day by simply saying, “We had to finish the job!” and it is that same determination that led him to the Israel Guide Dog Centre and to decide to get on with his life, whatever his disabilities.

Eli loves to cycle (on a tandem bike), ski and visit as many new places as possible, all the while with his faithful guide dog with him. He loves nothing better than telling people about how the guide dog changed his life and gave him hope again for a brighter future.

When he was asked, recently why he wanted a guide dog, Eli simply roared, “INDEPENDENCE!”