Month after fatal crash, victim is paralyzed, son still unconscious

The driver that hit the Rimmel family's car, Tareq Kurd, 18, from east Jerusalem, was reportedly traveling at a speed of 170 kph.

By JEREMY SHARON
Tzipi Rimmel and her three-week-old daughter, who died in a car accident on Route 443. (photo credit: Courtesy)
Tzipi Rimmel and her three-week-old daughter, who died in a car accident on Route 443.
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Ephraim Rimel, whose wife and infant daughter were killed in a car accident in December, was released from hospital on Thursday and has moved to a rehabilitation center at the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer.
Rimel, his wife, Tzippi, their son Itai, 12, and their baby daughter, Noam, who was just three weeks old, were driving near the settlement of Givat Ze’ev north of Jerusalem when their vehicle was struck by another car as they were waiting at a traffic light.
The driver, Tareq Kurd, 18, from east Jerusalem, was reportedly traveling at a speed of 170 kph.
Tzippi and Noam were pronounced dead upon arrival at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, while Itai has yet to regain consciousness and remains in critical condition, having improved only slightly since he was hospitalized.
Rimel was treated in the hospital’s intensive care unit and underwent several surgeries over the last month, but he remains paralyzed from the waist down.
“We are very moved today to see you after the very complicated process you endured,” director of Shaare Tzedek Prof. Ofer Marin told Rimel on his departure from the hospital.
Marin said a large team of doctors, nurses and other hospital staff were involved in Rimel’s treatment, and said that everyone had noticed his “inner strength” in dealing with the tragedy.
“We are certain that you will overcome this and we wish you and Itai and the entire family a full recovery,” said Marin.
Rimel thanked the team for their work and said that he was “leaving Itai with you for his ongoing treatment and I pray that like you succeeded with my treatment you will succeed with Itai too.”
After gradually coming out of his coma, Rimel was unaware that his wife and baby daughter had been killed in the accident, and was told by a friend about what had happened after he asked for his phone to speak with Tzippi.
Rimel’s three other children are currently being taken care of in the Rimels’ family home in the settlement of Neveh Tzuf north of Jerusalem by Tzippi’s parents, who have moved in to help them.
An online fund-raising campaign has raised more than NIS 4 million for the family since the accident, which will be used in part to make their home wheelchair accessible.
The driver, who has been released from detention, is under investigation for reckless driving, with witnesses having given testimony to the police that he was driving for several kilometers at extremely high speeds and passing other vehicles wildly.
He was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the accident.
A police official has stated that the driver was using Route 443 as a “test circuit” for a car he had just bought.


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