USA
Jewish nurse treated Pittsburgh suspect Robert Bowers 'with empathy' to 'prove him wrong'
Ari Mahler, an emergency trauma room nurse, wrote about treating Robert Bowers in hospital
November 5, 2018 09:26
Ari Mahler, an emergency trauma room nurse, wrote about treating Robert Bowers in hospital
November 5, 2018 09:26A Jewish nurse, who treated the Pittsburgh shooting suspect after the attack, has written about how he “chose to show him empathy", because he "felt that the best way to honour his victims was for a Jew to prove him wrong”.
Ari Mahler, an emergency trauma room nurse, wrote that Robert Bowers was shouting “death to all Jews" as he was wheeled into the hospital after the attack on October 27 in which 11 people died.
“This was the same Robert Bowers that just committed mass homicide,” Mr Mahler wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday night, a post which has subsequently been shared more than 130,000 times.
“The Robert Bowers who instilled panic in my heart worrying my parents were two of his 11 victims, less than an hour before his arrival.”
However, Mr Mahler, whose father is a rabbi, said: “I can tell you that as his nurse, or anyone's nurse, my care is given through kindness, my actions are measured with empathy, and regardless of the person you may be when you're not in my care, each breath you take is more beautiful than the last when you're lying on my stretcher.”
In the post, Mr Mahler talked about the antisemitism he had experienced as a child, and said: “The fact that this shooting took place doesn’t shock me. To be honest, it’s only a matter of time before the next one happens.
“The FBI and the Southern Poverty Law Center note that Jews only account for two percent of the U.S. population, yet 60 percent of all religious hate crimes are committed against them. I don’t know why people hate us so much, but the underbelly of anti-Semitism seems to be thriving.”
He wrote that he didn’t tell Robert Bowers that he was being treated by a Jew.
“I’m sure he had no idea I was Jewish,” he said. “Why thank a Jewish nurse, when 15 minutes beforehand, you’d shoot me in the head with no remorse?
"I didn’t say a word to him about my religion. I chose not to say anything to him the entire time. I wanted him to feel compassion. I chose to show him empathy.
"I felt that the best way to honour his victims was for a Jew to prove him wrong. Besides, if he finds out I’m Jewish, does it really matter? The better question is, what does it mean to you?
“Love. That’s why I did it. Love as an action is more powerful than words, and love in the face of evil gives others hope. It demonstrates humanity. It reaffirms why we’re all here.
"The meaning of life is to give meaning to life, and love is the ultimate force that connects all living beings. I could care less what Robert Bowers thinks, but you, the person reading this, love is the only message I wish to instil in you.
"If my actions mean anything, love means everything.”
