'Unbelievable full circle': Terror attack survivor’s kidney saves rescuer’s brother 24 years later

Yonatan Rom, a survivor of the 2002 Atzmona massacre, donated a kidney to Reuven Tam, whose brother Eyal Tam commanded the emergency squad that stopped the attack. The connection was discovered shortly before the transplant at Clalit-Beilinson Hospital. Rom joined an Israeli paired kidney exchange program as an anonymous donor about a year ago. When he met the recipient, they traced the link: Rom was a teacher at the pre-military academy when a terrorist attacked, killing five students and wounding 21. Eyal Tam neutralized the terrorist. "Your brother saved my life 24 years ago, and today I am saving yours with my kidney," Rom said. Dr. Eviatar Nesher called it an "almost unbelievable full circle."

Yonatan Rom, a survivor of the 2002 Atzmona massacre, donated a kidney to Reuven Tam, whose brother Eyal Tam commanded the emergency squad that stopped the attack. The connection was discovered shortly before the transplant at Clalit-Beilinson Hospital. Rom had joined an Israeli paired kidney exchange program as an anonymous donor about a year ago. When he met the recipient, they traced the link: Rom was a teacher at the pre-military academy when a terrorist attacked, killing five students and wounding 21. Eyal Tam neutralized the terrorist. "Your brother saved my life 24 years ago, and today I am saving yours with my kidney," Rom said. Dr. Eviatar Nesher called it an "almost unbelievable full circle."