Survivor of Oct. 7 Hamas attack at Nova Music Festival in Israel shares her emotional journey
NORTH SHORE, Long Island (WABC) -- One year after the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, a survivor who attended the Nova Music Festival is sharing her emotional journey from that fateful day.
It was a picture-perfect day for 21-year-old Shir Zohar and her best friend Ester, one year ago on Oct. 7.
A picture captured their final snapshot at the Nova Music Festival near Gaza before their carefree life turned into images of carnage and chaos.
People ran for their lives as Hamas slaughtered 1,200 people.
Shir says she hopped in Ester's car. Hamas started shooting at them.
"We were hit six times, all the bullets got inside the car, but didn't hurt us," she said.
They got out and ran, eventually running into a 22-year-old festival bartender named Ori Arad.
"I ran to his window and said, 'can we join you? We don't have a car.' He said, 'of course,'" Shir said. "Now it's the three of us in his car. I sat on the floor of the car and my friend sat on the back seat and we started driving. He said to us, 'don't do worry. You're going to get out of here. That's my promise.'"
Hamas then shot up Arad's car.
"Two motorcycles came from the side and shot at all of the car. We landed in a ditch off the side of the road," Shir said.
Hamas came down to the car, while Shir and her friend Ester played dead. The terrorists shot and killed Arad.
"He saved my life and Estelle, my best friend's life," Shir said. "And he didn't even know us. That's me. That's my guy. That's my hero."
Shir says the name Arad, in Hebrew, means light, and she says that's exactly what he was that day and forever.
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