Hanoch Budin was born in Canada in 1962 to two Holocaust survivors who moved their family to Israel when he was three years old. During the First Lebanon War, he served in the Golani Brigade. He was young, strong, confident, and on track to be an officer.

Hanoch was 20 years old when his life changed forever on June 24, 1982. In Lebanon, his platoon had been ordered to evacuate troops who were surrounded by the Syrian army. As he and his men faced an enormous enemy force, he was hit by a mortar shell which inflicted serious burns to his face and instantly severed his right hand.

“Here I was, a young man in my prime, lying on the ground covered in dirt and blood. Even as I was crying, writhing in excruciating pain, I understood life, as I knew it, was over. I knew my world would never be the same.”

It took hours for Hanoch to be evacuated and he suffered massive blood loss. Near death on arrival at the hospital, doctors determined the need to amputate his right arm. During a long, painful hospital recuperation, Beit Halochem members visited Hanoch sharing their own stories, offering insights into new realities, and encouraging him to visit Beit Halochem.

After leaving the hospital, his exhausting therapy included swimming at Beit Halochem in Tel Aviv. From the moment he dove into the pool, his talent was recognized. Training hard, within 18 months of losing his arm, Hanoch earned his place in Israel’s 1984 Paralympics delegation to the USA.

“Winning my first Paralympic medal was incredible. I had been near death a year and a half ago and I thought, ‘look where I am now’. I did it for myself but mainly for my country.”

Hanoch competed in the 1988 Paralympics in Seoul where he won his first gold medal and broke a long-standing world record. Over two decades of competition, he won two gold, one silver, and five Paralympic bronze medals and triumphed in many World and European Championships. In 1989, representing all disabled veterans, Hanoch was honoured to light the flame at the 13th Maccabiah Games in Israel.

Following his swimming achievements, Hanoch is now a sought-after international motivational speaker and published author. While Hanoch admits to experiencing setbacks through his post-injury life, he believes that “Ultimately, while you may fall, how you pick yourself up is entirely up to you.” This outlook led to his well-received participation as the first disabled competitor on Israel’s edition of “Survivor”.

Although Hanoch last swam competitively at age 39, he continues his rehabilitation with rigorous, daily workouts at Beit Halochem. “Beit Halochem is my natural habitat. While my swimming is important to me, mostly, it’s the friends I’ve made there; they are like family. The best thing about Beit Halochem is that no one feels sorry for you. You are who you are. There are programs and activities suited just for you, a framework that fits your needs.”