The Reason He Gets Up Every Morning
Eleven years after joining MDA as a teenager completing his community service, 26-year-old Yaniv Ben Naftali is preparing to become a paramedic but says the greatest reward has never been the title. It's the opportunity to change someone's life.
When Yaniv Ben Naftali joined Magen David Adom at 15 years old to complete his community service, he never imagined he would still be here eleven years later.
Today, the 26-year-old serves as an MDA volunteer ambulance EMT and motorcycle first responder while studying Emergency Medicine at Ben-Gurion University. Soon, he will fulfill another dream by becoming a paramedic. "I always loved medicine," Yaniv said. "When I was 15, I knew this was where I wanted to be. Eleven years later, MDA has become a huge part of my life."
That commitment means he is never truly off duty. As an MDA medicycle responder, Yaniv can be dispatched directly from wherever he is, often arriving before an ambulance to begin lifesaving care.
One recent call brought him to a family whose 22-month-old daughter had nearly drowned in their backyard pool. The little girl was already beginning to respond when Yaniv and the ambulance crew reached her, but every moment was critical. Together, the teams provided advanced treatment while rushing her to the hospital, where she arrived awake, breathing, and in stable condition.
Although Yaniv has responded to countless emergencies over the years, he says calls involving children leave a lasting impression. "When you help a child, you're helping someone who has their entire life ahead of them," he said. "Knowing that you can give them the chance to grow up and experience everything that's waiting for them, that feeling stays with you."
Yet when asked what keeps him volunteering after more than a decade, Yaniv doesn't talk about dramatic rescues. He talks about the people. "The most incredible people in my life are the people I've met through MDA," he said. "Everyone has such a big heart. Everyone wants to help."
After completing his military service, there was never any question that he would continue. "This is the most meaningful thing I do," he said. "It's the reason I get up in the morning, because I know I have the chance to do something good for someone else."
Every emergency eventually comes to an end. The ambulance is cleaned, the equipment is restocked, and another call comes in. For Yaniv, that's what MDA has always been, not one extraordinary rescue, but thousands of opportunities to be there for people when they need someone most.
