When Shahar Shaul-Ariel, 28, realized was in labor, she asked her husband, Evyatar Shaul, to drive her from their home in from Moshav Bnei Darom to the hospital.

It was the middle of the night, and Shahar’s contractions were coming quickly. The couple pulled over and called Magen David Adom for help. A few minutes later, a MDA intensive care team arrived but there wasn’t enough time to bring Shaul-Ariel to the hospital. Soon, she delivered a healthy baby girl in a MDA intensive care ambulance which had been donated in memory of fallen MDA volunteer paramedic Itamar Shemen.

After Shaul-Ariel gave birth, the MDA team, which included paramedic Saar Shai, senior EMT Sigal Zadok, and ambulance driver Osnat Ben David, told the new parents about their fallen colleague Shemen, who was killed in Gaza. The MDA team also asked the Shauls if they could take a photo of the new baby in front of the ambulance to share with Shemen’s family.

“It’s always exciting to help bring life into the world. It was even more moving that it happened in a MICU commemorating our friend Itamar Shemen, z”l,” said Shai. “It was important for me to share with Itamar’s family that the MICU bearing his name not only saves lives, but also helps bring life into the world.”

Staff Sergeant Shemen, z”l, served as a combat paramedic and he was killed in December 2023, aged 21. After becoming an IDF paramedic, Shemen continued to volunteer for shifts at the MDA station in Modi’in during his breaks.

When the Shauls were deciding on a name for their infant, they chose to name her Tamar, after Itamar Shemen. “We were privileged that our baby was the first birth in the MICU dedicated to the soul of Itamar Shemen, said the new parents. “Our medics told us about Itamar, how he was optimistic, smiling, and kind. How until the moment his life was taken, he saved lives. We hope our Tamar will follow in his footsteps and add light to the world.”

The Shauls recently had the opportunity to meet Dorit and Assaf Shemen, Itamar’s parents. The MDA team who delivered baby Tamar was at the gathering as was the MICU dedicated in Shemen’s memory.

“Meeting them strengthened our choice to name our daughter Tamar in Itamar’s memory,” said the Shauls. “It is a great privilege for us.”

“We were very moved to hear from MDA about the birth of a baby girl in an intensive care unit dedicated to the memory of our dear son who fell in battle in Gaza,” said the Shemens. “We were even more excited to learn that Shahar and Evyatar had heard about our Itamar and chose to name their daughter Tamar. We are sure that little Tamar and her family will continue the wonder of our country.”