MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida man from Israel said he is grateful to be back home after he received help to escape the war.
Cellphone video captured Ori David Meyer as he greeted his girlfriend, moments after he landed at Miami International Airport, earlier this weekend.
“It was very hard to leave the country. I’m lucky Nicole and her team helped me go out,” he said.
Nicole spoke with 7News last week after she raised money and chartered a flight for Meyer and 154 others who were stranded in Israel after Hamas’ surprise attack out of Gaza.
“You all the time hear bombings, you all the time hear sirens,” said Meyer.
Tragically, one of Meyer’s closest friends, Rachel, was among those killed at the Tribe of Nova Music Festival.
“The day before I left, I was in a funeral for my best friend Rachel,” he said. “She’s an angel, and it’s hard because we’ve been in a funeral, and we you see another funeral for another guy.”
Meyer is still in shock. He said two of his siblings were also supposed to be at that music festival. Instead, they were able to come together to celebrate his youngest brother’s birthday.
“Luckily, God save us, and they didn’t go to the rave, and now everyone helps as much as we can,” said Meyer.
Meyer’s brother, a paramedic, was called to serve.
“I’m afraid for him, and I’m afraid [for][ our soldiers who are getting – by [walking] from the field to Gaza,” said Meyer
But Meyer added that this war is not fair to any of the innocent lives lost.
“I don’t want to say Palestine/Israel, because Palestine people are suffering, too, from this scenario,” he said. “They just want to live in peace.”
If you would like to donate to those in Israel affected by the war, click here.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.