BREAKING NEWS

Israeli vacationer: Tibi saved my life in Spain

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN

AUGUST 27, 2012 21:31

An Israeli Arab credited MK Ahmed Tibi (Ta'al) on Monday with saving his life after he mistakenly dove into shallow water in Barcelona.

As Yediot Aharonot first reported, Fadi Massarwa, 28, broke vertebrae in his neck and nearly became paralyzed from injuries he sustained from the dive. His family contacted Tibi, who is their neighbor in the Arab village Taibe and is also a medical doctor.

Tibi, who happened to be vacationing in Barcelona, made sure he was treated in a Barcelona hospital despite his lacking medical insurance. He had an Israeli orthopedist examine Massarwa.

When the orthopedist insisted that Massarwa be flown to Israel for surgery lying down, El Al said there were no flights available.

But Tibi had recently passed a bill into law regarding compensation for passengers for cancellations. El Al found two passengers willing to fly later and Massarwa compensated them for the price difference for their seats.

Massarwa landed Friday and had surgery at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. He returned home to Taibe on Monday and wrote on Facebook that Tibi had saved his life.

"We called Ahmed because he is a family friend and he was in Barcelona for a soccer game," Massarwa's mother Feda told The Jerusalem Post. "He did everything possible to help Fadi and we are very grateful to him. No matter where Ahmed goes, he helps everyone, especially if they are from Taibe. Now are son will be fine, thank God and thanks to to Ahmed Tibi."

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