Becky Gilor learned sign language six years ago. When she joined Magen David Adom as an EMT and ambulance driver in 2020, she decided to take another course to learn medical terms and conditions. Recently, her skills came in handy quite unexpectedly.
Shani Navon called the MDA hotline when her father, who is deaf, fell. He injured his right leg and back. His knee was swollen, and he couldn’t walk. Her father’s pain and anxiety made Shani nervous. She didn’t know how she could be by his side, comfort him, and translate for the EMTs on the way.
“They say even at their best a translator will get only 80%,” said Shani. “So imagine, it’s the middle of the night, I woke up suddenly, this is my dad, my son was panicking, I could barely translate.”
As luck would have it, Becky was the ambulance driver sent to his home that night. Becky immediately started signing with Reuben Avrahami, looking directly into his eyes, which greatly reduced his anxiety and Shani’s.
Israel’s channel 13 recognized Becky for her actions that put a family at ease on a fraught-filled night. Watch the video.
