Twenty-year-old Benny Gustafson, a Jewish college student from Wisconsin, transformed his profound grief over the loss of his [older] brother, Jack Gustafson, into a force for positive change by volunteering with Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s eminent medical emergency service.
“I’m driven to help others because my brother’s death was preventable,” Benny expressed. “I believe that by working on an ambulance, I can prevent such tragedies. If only someone had been there for my brother, he might still be with us.” [Benny’s brother choked to death four years ago.]
. . . In Tel Aviv’s MDA station, Benny encountered a spectrum of individuals. He reflected on one harrowing incident, stating, “I even provided crucial aid to a person who had lost a significant amount of blood.”
Benny’s experience in Israel was transformative.
“I fell in love with the country’s culture,” he shared, noting Israel’s “straightforward nature and openness” as a refreshing contrast to his U.S. experiences.
Read the full story on The Jerusalem Post>>
Learn more about MDA’s Overseas International Volunteer Program>>
