Nine years. One shoulder. A debt that should not exist.

The nine year battle

In the summer of 2014, Adiel's Duvdevan unit searched for three kidnapped Israeli teenagers. They found the bodies. Within days, they were inside Gaza for Operation Protective Edge.

Adiel fought for weeks with severe shoulder pain. He refused to leave his team.

He was released in 2016. The Ministry of Defence initially recognized him at 20 percent disability, then reversed course before his surgery and declared him fit to work.

Four district court filings. Three committee appeals. Two civil court appearances. Medications, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, transportation, all paid by his family out of pocket while he lived with severe physical pain and PTSD.

One week before October 7th, the Ministry finally issued his 70 percent disability rating. Going forward only. The nine years behind him left a hole his family is still falling through.

October 7th at Kibbutz Alumim

Adiel lives on Kibbutz Alumim, 3.5 kilometers from Gaza. Nearly 100 terrorists infiltrated his community that morning. Twenty two kibbutz members were murdered. Five soldiers killed inside the gates. Thirty five more killed defending them. Two hostages taken. Ran Gvili is still in Gaza.

Adiel's brother was wounded saving lives that day.

Adiel sheltered with his wife and three children while his brother fought outside. For a man already carrying PTSD and nine years of government rejection, the trauma was unimaginable. The family was evacuated for nearly a year, cut off from his treatments, while the debt kept growing.

These were not extras. These were basic medical necessities the Ministry of Defence should have covered from day one. Instead, a kibbutz family that gave everything to Israel is buried in debt for the care their veteran was entitled to.

Adiel is not alone

Veteran Itzik Saidyan set himself on fire after his PTSD claim was denied. Itzik Chen died by suicide after years of rejections. The State Comptroller reports that 73 percent of Israel's 58,000 plus disabled veterans are dissatisfied with their treatment by the system. Twenty two physicians serve all of them. Over 100,000 wounded veterans are projected by 2030.

This is what failure looks like at scale. Adiel is one face of it.

Where your donation goes

100 percent of every dollar donated through Smiles for the Kids reaches Adiel and his family directly. We carry zero overhead. Our team is on the ground in Israel and we work as the implementation partner for U.S. donors.

• Legal fees Adiel should never have needed
• Medical costs the Ministry should have covered
• Nine years of out-of-pocket treatment for a combat veteran with a 70 percent disability rating
• Breathing room for a young family of five trying to heal