Haim Ben Arye: The bus driver who rescued survivors but succumbed to trauma

The story of Haim Ben Arye, a bus driver and father of eight, highlights the profound psychological impact of the October 7 terror attacks in Israel. During the attacks, Ben Arye successfully transported survivors from Kibbutz Be’eri to safety.

However, the trauma of the event led to a devastating personal outcome. Following the attacks, Ben Arye underwent significant psychological distress and took his own life a few weeks later. His experience is cited as an example of the “second wave of death” — the often overlooked mental health crisis and spiritual wounding that affects survivors of war and terrorism.