Just one day after Nahal Brigade commander Col. Sharon Asman collapsed and died, Shylee Westland, who served in the Israel Air Force and was a cadet in the IDF staff officers course, died Friday after she collapsed on Tuesday at Bahad 1.
Westland had recently returned to the base after being home on sick leave and reportedly felt unwell the day she collapsed.
The circumstances of her death will be investigated, with her company commander, team commander and medical officer of Bahad 1 being questioned. Westland was posthumously promoted to the rank of Second-Lieutenant.
“My beloved girl, I have a hole in my heart in your shape,” Yifat Westland, Shylee’s mother, was quoted by Ynet as saying. “I can’t process that you are not with us.
“You were almost 22 years old and loved horses more than anything. You succeeded in making so many people love you. You were a magnet. This is unimaginable, I want to wake up from this nightmare. I’ll miss your sense of humor, laughter, smell of your perfume... Rest in peace, I love you forever.”
Westland will be buried on Sunday at 6 p.m. in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Asman, who died on Thursday, will be buried at 4 p.m. on Sunday in Tel Aviv’s Kiryat Shaul Cemetery.
The Nahal Brigade commander was reportedly in above-average shape and went for a run along with a professional physical training officer when he collapsed. The brigade doctor was called to the gym where he performed CPR on Asman before pronouncing him dead.
The circumstances of his death are under investigation but according to reports in Israeli media, there was not a defibrillator in the gym, something that could have saved his life.
“We do not know of an order to install a defibrillator in IDF gyms,” a military source was quoted by Walla News as saying, adding that there are defibrillators in the officers training base at Bahad 1 in the Negev, “but it’s only because of the initiative and demand from professionals at the base.”
Another military official told Walla that a number of issues surrounding Asman’s condition will be investigated, such as how long he slept in the days before his death, what his medical condition was that month and more.
“Asman was known as a very healthy person, an athlete, who adheres to nutrition and fitness, so there are many questions,” the official was quoted as saying.
As a registered organ donor, Asman’s corneas will be transplanted to patients in need.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.