‘Your smile is always with me’: Remembering Staff Sgt. Itay-Eliyahu Marchiano
Staff Sgt. Itay-Eliyahu Marchiano, a soldier and commander in the Paratroopers Brigade, was 20 when he was killed in battle on Oct. 7, 2023. The beloved youngest child in his family, he was “the baby of the house,” as his father, Shlomo, described him, growing up surrounded by warmth and love.
From childhood, Itay stood out for his phenomenal memory, exceptional intelligence and sharp mind, all coupled with profound humility.
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His childhood friend Roy Koenig, who had known him since kindergarten, remembers him as the smartest and funniest kid in the group, an avid soccer player, a gifted mimic and a prankster who loved being surrounded by friends. The striking contrast between his remarkable abilities and his unassuming nature made him impossible not to love.
Quiet leadership and leading by example
As he approached his military service, Itay’s background in computer science opened doors to prestigious technological units in the IDF, but he was looking for meaningful service in the field.
Itay enlisted in the Paratroopers Brigade, completed his training with distinction and immediately went on to a squad commander's course. After being appointed a sergeant responsible for recruits at the Paratroopers Training Base, he quickly became the driving force among the command staff.
His commanders and fellow soldiers said that even during the hardest and most exhausting moments, Itay’s unofficial role was to lift morale, make everyone laugh and inspire those around him. He became a figure his soldiers admired, above all because he led by example and treated them as equals.
Heroism on the morning of Oct. 7
On the morning of Oct. 7, when the sirens sounded, Itay awoke at home. After reading a message from his battalion commander calling on anyone who could to head south, he immediately understood the gravity of the situation, put on his uniform and left the house.
In southern Israel, he joined his fellow soldiers and displayed courage and determination. While fighting and protecting a group of civilians who had been stranded near the Netiv HaAsara-Yad Mordechai junction since the early morning hours, his unit encountered terrorists.
In the fierce battle that followed, Itay was killed as he defended those around him with both courage and resolve.
A legacy of smiles and responsibility
His mother, Frida, speaks of the immense pride he brought his family time and again, and of the remarkable generation of young soldiers who were the first to rush toward the fighting. Itay left behind an unwritten legacy of joy, solidarity and responsibility for one another.
The phrase that has come to symbolize him — “Your smile is always with me” — commemorates his remarkable ability to brighten the lives of those around him. His legacy calls on all of us to be worthy of his sacrifice, to choose what is good and to work toward a better society and a better country.
Staff Sgt. Itay-Eliyahu Marchiano, Paratroopers Brigade, was killed on Oct. 7, 2023, at age 20.
May his memory be a blessing.
Staff Sergeant
Itay-Eliyahu Marchiano