Adam Berdichevsky at Paralympics ' 24 Photo Credit - Keren Isaacson
Defying terror , Adam truimphed on the Paralympic court
By Howard Blas
For most elite wheelchair athletes , the road to the Paralympics involves years of intense physical and mental preparation . For Israeli tennis player Adam Berdichevsky , the year leading up to the recent Paris Paralympics was also a year of fighting off terrorists and multiple relocations . Despite these extraordinary challenges , Berdichevsky proudly represents his country and serves as a role model for people with disabilities on and off the court continue to pay off .
Berdichevsky , 40 , picked up wheelchair tennis after losing his left leg in a 2007 boating accident in Thailand . Berdichevsky and his then girlfriend ( now wife ), Hila , encountered a fierce storm . Their vessel capsized , sending both in to the rough waters . While saving Hila , Berdichevsky was reportedly sucked in to the engine , resulting in the loss of his leg .
In the years following the ordeal , the two married , Berdichevky became a mechanical engineer , and the family soon included three children . The family made their home on Kibbutz Nir Yitzchak , the same collective community where Adam grew up . Life on the kibbutz was usually tranquil , though missile threats from Hamas were not uncommon given their proximity to Gaza . Usually , the sounding of an alarm meant a short stay in the family ’ s safe room until the imminent threat passed .
This all changed on October 7 , 2023 when Hamas launched
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