On November 11, 2023, Capt. (res.) Liam Spielman’s life changed forever. At 26 years old, this dedicated reserve officer of the Nahal Infantry Brigade was critically injured by a Hezbollah UAV while stationed on Israel’s northern border. However, despite the near-fatal injuries, Liam’s story is not one of defeat but of resilience and an indomitable will to survive.
Answering the Call of Duty
Liam, a fitness instructor by profession, was halfway across the world in the Congo when war broke out on October 7th. There, he was training the local army, entirely unaware of the chaos unfolding back home. But as soon as the news reached him, Liam didn’t hesitate. He dropped everything, boarding a flight back to Israel, driven by a sense of duty that transcended any formal call-up.
Upon his return, Liam voluntarily enlisted, determined to protect his homeland. He found himself on the northern border near Kibbutz Yiftach, where his regiment was stationed. Here, he took command of 20 combatants, each one relying on his leadership in the tense environment of war.
The Day That Changed Everything
It was a day like any other in a conflict zone—fraught with tension and uncertainty. Liam and his men spotted something ominous in the distance, a large aircraft flying unusually low. As they looked on, the soldiers asked Liam if it was one of theirs. He quickly realized that this was no friendly jet. The aircraft’s low altitude and the distinct noise it emitted set off alarm bells in his mind.
Liam had encountered explosive drones before, but this one was different—massive and menacing. With only seconds to spare, he ordered his soldiers to take cover. Unfortunately, Liam himself couldn’t escape the blast zone in time. The drone crashed just meters away from him, sending him hurtling 10 meters into the air. The impact left him with severe injuries: his legs were critically wounded, his main artery in his right leg was torn, and shrapnel had penetrated his back, damaging two vertebrae and tearing his small intestine.
A Fight for Life
Liam was barely clinging to life when the medical team reached him. His blood pressure had plummeted to the point of non-existence, and by the time they evacuated him, he was already in a state of clinical death. They rushed him to Ziv Hospital in Safed, as there was no time to fly him to Haifa’s Rambam Hospital.
The medical team initially declared Liam dead. But in an extraordinary effort, they refused to give up. They fought tirelessly, determined to save his life. The situation was so dire that the doctors gave his parents a grim choice: save Liam or save his leg.
Fate intervened when a senior vascular specialist, who happened to be in the north at that moment, rushed to the hospital. This specialist, with his unparalleled expertise, performed a critical operation that not only saved Liam’s life but also his leg. Liam remained unconscious for 10 days, spending a month in intensive care before his condition began to stabilize.
The Road to Recovery
After being stabilized at Ziv Hospital, Liam was moved to Tel Hashomer, where his journey of rehabilitation began. The road ahead was long and arduous, but if there was one thing Liam had proven, it was that he was a fighter.
Recently, Liam was released from Tel Hashomer to continue his rehabilitation at Beit Halochem in Tel Aviv. Here, he has joined the Young Veterans Club, immersing himself in various activities that not only aid in his physical recovery but also strengthen his spirit. The determination that had seen him through those critical moments on the battlefield now fueled his recovery.
Reflections on Survival
Looking back on that fateful day, Liam recalls every detail with a clarity that underscores the intensity of the experience. “I was with two soldiers at the outpost,” he says, “they spotted something big in the distance, probably a fighter jet. The soldiers asked if it was ours. I recognized that it was not—because it was flying too low and because of the noise it was making. We started running, but within less than 10 seconds, it came diving down.”
Liam’s quick thinking and decisive action undoubtedly saved the lives of the soldiers under his command. Though he bore the brunt of the explosion, his priority was always his men. Even in the chaos of the aftermath, he was conscious enough to alert the medical team about others who might be injured. It was only later, when he didn’t feel his legs, that the full extent of his injuries began to dawn on him.
In those moments, Liam says he operated on instinct, almost like a robot. “I imagined that at some point I would get injured in this fight,” he reflects. “When it happened, I just acted out the event as much as I could.” It was this mindset that saw him through, coupled with the unwavering efforts of the medical teams who refused to let him go.
Moving Forward
Liam’s story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. Despite the devastating injuries, he never lost hope. Instead, he focused on what he could do—survive, recover, and rebuild his life. His journey is far from over, but Liam’s resilience serves as an inspiration to all who hear his story.
Today, as he continues his rehabilitation and engages with other veterans, Liam remains a symbol of courage. The UAV may have shattered into pieces, but Liam did not. He is living proof that even in the face of overwhelming adversity, the human spirit can prevail.