Trip to Family Ends in Ambush (Image Credits: Flickr)
Las Vegas – A couple who endured separate Hamas kidnappings during the October 7 attacks detailed their traumas and triumphs before an emotional crowd at a Summerlin school last week.
Trip to Family Ends in Ambush
Sapir Cohen and Sasha Troufanov traveled from northern Israel to Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 6, 2023, to visit his parents. Their relationship had faltered recently, yet Cohen saw the getaway as a chance to reconnect amid others. Troufanov hesitated that evening, an unease he could not explain.
They spent the night with a friend and watched a film about abduction and violence. Early the next morning, sirens pierced the air as rockets rained down. Hundreds of Hamas militants breached the community, which saw over 1,200 Israelis killed and 250 abducted that day, mostly civilians.[1][2]
The pair hid under a bed until gunmen burst in. Troufanov rose with hands raised before one assailant. “I stood up in front of one terrorist with my hands up. He immediately pointed his rifle at me, and I was just waiting to see the rounds pierce my chest, but it didn’t happen,” he recalled.
Months of Darkness and Solitude
Troufanov suffered brutal injuries during his abduction: his left leg snapped in half, a shoulder stab wound, and a rifle blow that split his head. Guards shuttled him between apartments on meager rations like a few dates daily before consigning him to an underground cage in Gaza’s tunnel network.
Cohen faced nearly two months in similar subterranean confines. Troufanov remained captive for almost 500 days, much of it in profound isolation. “For half of the day, it was so dark that you couldn’t even see your hand if you put it in front of your face. And it was so quiet, the type of silence where you could hear a cockroach walking on the concrete. You could hear ants,” he described.[1]
His father fell victim to the attackers that day. Troufanov now walks with crutches, bearing physical and mental scars. Cohen grappled with depression afterward, irked by everyday gripes from others.
Faith Emerges from Despair
A former military intelligence specialist and engineer from Russia, Troufanov approached life rationally before his ordeal. Captivity dismantled that worldview. Alone for stretches, he turned inward, fostering thoughts of family and prayer for endurance.
“Every time I needed to find strength, I found myself sitting there, praying. I came from a background of science… but I started to think about nature and the beautiful nature we have all around us, which I was missing,” he said. “When you get to captivity, everything is stripped away.”
- Shift from secular planning to spiritual reliance
- Daily mental exercises to summon hope
- Recognition of communal Jewish strength, echoed by a captor to Cohen
Reunited, They Plan a Future
Troufanov gained freedom about a year ago; Cohen emerged sooner. Their reunion sparked renewal. She had pondered moving forward without him but held firm, inspired by a pledge to his mother.
“When Sasha came back, and when he says that he believes in God, it was proof that he’s the one for me,” Cohen shared. They became engaged soon after. A wedding looms next month, followed by family life in Israel. “The love we felt when we got out, not only from Israel, but from all around the world, that has helped us so much,” Troufanov added.
Cohen transformed too. “Before Oct. 7, I didn’t feel a part of our nation… I’m so proud of our nation now,” she stated.
Captivating Testimony at Adelson School
On February 12, roughly 100 attendees gathered at The Adelson School for the couple’s 90-minute address and question session. An introductory video preceded their measured recounting. American and Israeli flags stood together at the rear.
The audience hung on every word, then embraced the speakers afterward in warm exchanges. The event underscored resilience amid horror.
Key Takeaways
- Captivity forged unbreakable bonds and personal growth for the couple.
- Global solidarity aided their healing post-release.
- Upcoming marriage symbolizes hope after unimaginable loss.
Their narrative endures as a testament to human spirit’s tenacity. What do you think about their journey? Tell us in the comments.
