Israeli medic on desert tour in Morocco saves life of Arab girl
United Hatzalah medic Rachamim Amos leaves bus in Sahara Desert to aid turban-wrapped figure who emerged from the desert begging in Arabic for help.
By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICHdesert 88(photo credit: )
Against the advice of the security guard, Israeli tour guide and United Hatzalah medic Rachamim Amos left the bus traveling through Morocco's Sahara Desert to aid a turban-wrapped figure who emerged from the desert begging in Arabic for help.
Amos, who was leading the tour last month and always takes his medic's kit with him, jumped off the bus. Fluent in Arabic, he understood someone had been hurt. Despite fear that he was about to meet robbers or even terrorists, he followed the man hundreds of meters into the desert.
He found a pair of jeeps, one upright and the second crumpled off the side of a nearly indiscernible path. Huddled in the minimal shade provided by the mangled jeep were three young children. One of the children's legs was at an awkward angle, and her clothing was soaked with blood.
The Israeli medic quickly diagnosed an open fracture at the femur complicated by a rupture of the femoral artery. He staunched the bleeding, stabilized the fracture and, with the young girl not yet out of danger, advised the frantic father on how to maintain pressure on the artery and avoid moving the leg for the four-hour ride to the nearest hospital.
The next day, Amos decided to check up on the young girl at the hospital and was greeted immediately by shouts: "Here is the Jewish doctor!" The tearful father hugged him and kissed him on both cheeks. The doctors confirmed that without his timely intervention, the girl would have certainly died.
The medic was given the title "The Jewish Dr. Angel from Israel" - even though he tried to explain he wasn't really a doctor.
