From ICU to I Do
How Hanoch Daum Helped Seriously Injured Soldier Chen Naimi To Find Love | WATCH
Critically wounded in Gaza, Chen Na’imi defied the odds with months of rehabilitation, finding love along the way and marrying in an emotional ceremony that honored his miraculous recovery.
A year into Israel’s military operations in Gaza, Chen Na’imi was critically wounded and rushed to Soroka Medical Center with severe leg injuries. Thanks to skilled orthopedic and plastic surgeries, Chen’s legs were stabilized, setting the stage for a long and intensive rehabilitation.
During months of daily therapy, pain, and perseverance, Chen became the longest-staying patient in Soroka’s rehabilitation department. A viral video documenting the moment he first stood and walked again captured the attention of media personality Hanoch Daum, and, unexpectedly, his future bride, Yuval.
Last week, Chen and Yuval celebrated a moving wedding attended by the Soroka staff who had supported him from day one. In a symbolic moment, the leg that had endured such a long journey was the one to break the wedding glass.
Dr. Yotam Hinman, the orthopedic trauma specialist who led dozens of procedures on Chen’s legs, reflected on the wedding: “From the moment I saw his injury, I knew the fight for his leg would be long. But Chen had the strength to overcome it. Watching him walk again, and then stand under the chuppah with the woman he loves, is a gift no doctor could ask for. It reminds us why we do what we do every day.”
Chen and Yuval returned to Soroka yesterday to thank the staff who saved his life, restored his mobility, and guided him to the moment he could stand proudly under the wedding canopy.