Amir Fisher, 22, had dreams of becoming a professional soccer player. From a young age, soccer was his passion. He played the sport in Ghana after moving there with his parents from Israel at the age of nine, trained in the U.S. for six months, and nearly secured a contract with a Czech league team. However, a deeper calling led him to a drastic change in his life's direction. Fisher chose to leave soccer behind, return to Israel via a Scout Movement core group, and enlist in the Israel Defense Forces.
He served in the elite Shaldag Unit for over a year before volunteering for the Duvdevan Special Forces, viewing it as his life's purpose. He declined the privileges afforded to lone soldiers, which would have entitled him to extended leaves, opting instead to extend his service as an active combatant.
His parents, Sharon and Sigal, supported him throughout his service and remained in Israel. On the weekend of October 7, knowing their son would stay on base in Mishor Adumim during the holiday, they took a brief trip to Cyprus. Early on Saturday morning, they felt a sense of foreboding and rushed back to Israel. They were unprepared for the heart-wrenching news that awaited them at home around 1:30 a.m. between October 7 and 8, delivered by uniformed officers: their son had fallen in battle.
"We moved abroad when Amir was six and his sister was eight, spending three years in Romania before relocating to Ghana," Sigal Fisher explained. "Amir spent his formative years in Africa, attending an American school within an international community. Most of his friends were Lebanese, which seems surreal now. He was passionate about soccer throughout those years and aspired to turn professional. In his senior year of high school, he sought a team to join, found an agent, and moved to Prague for eight months. During this time, he also met his girlfriend, Lior, and started making friends from Israel who were about to enlist. The more he learned about the military, the more intrigued he became. When he consulted us, we expressed our strong Israeli and Zionist identities but emphasized that the decision was his to make. We suggested he enlist through a core group, and he fully embraced the process."
"Amir was a playful and sometimes mischievous kid, but he was also incredibly charming and had a knack for drawing people to him. Once he realized that soccer was more than just a hobby, he became incredibly focused and determined," his father Sharon recounted. "The military fascinated him. Initially, we questioned whether he was sure about enlisting, given the long-term commitment it entailed. Seeing his determination, we steered him toward the core group. Although it was a nerve-wracking decision, you don't dictate life choices to a 19-year-old. Amir always knew what he wanted and pursued his goals relentlessly."
As the heavens fell
Sigal remembered that serving in Duvdevan was the happiest period of Amir's life. "He thrived in his role, was highly sociable and competitive, and strived to excel. In his uniform, he felt invincible, like Superman, fearless in the face of danger. He was a remarkable young man, always looking out for others and energizing his group."
A week before his death, he spent time with his family during Sukkot, and returned for the Sabbath in Mishor Adumim. While his parents and sister were in Cyprus, Amir was urgently deployed to the south. "There was no immediate sense of danger," Sigal recalled of the harrowing moments of October 7. "We woke up that morning to unsettling news. I managed to speak with him briefly; he mentioned they were being sent south but didn't know the specifics. I told him, 'Take care of yourself, I love you.' It was a brief conversation, and that was it. We sensed something terrible was unfolding and were consumed by dread."
"We scrambled to find flight tickets, and by 7 p.m., we secured seats on a midnight flight. Upon landing, I prayed that no one would be waiting for us outside our home. They were there, but we didn't see them initially. Half an hour after we entered our home, there was a knock at the door – a moment of sheer terror. My daughter had stayed back in Cyprus; I had told her to go to sleep and that I would call as soon as he reached out. When I finally called her, she exclaimed, 'Oh great, he answered,' and then I had to break the news that Amir had fallen."
Sharon shared that his son was scheduled to be discharged in April. "He planned to study business administration and formalize his relationship with his girlfriend. They were already discussing marriage. On the morning of October 7, we spoke with him and urged him to stay safe, but we were plagued by anxiety all day. Sigal expressed a desire to be near Amir if anything happened. Normally, I don't indulge such feelings, but this time I did, and we searched for a flight back. We only received the devastating news upon our return. I remember the knock on the door – I asked, 'Who is it?' and they responded from the army. I opened the door, then retreated in shock until I gathered myself and pleaded, 'Just tell me he's injured,' but they replied, 'Afraid not.'"
Amir, as his parents later learned, had been dispatched that morning to Kfar Aza, among the first to confront the Hamas attackers. He bravely fought until he fell around 11 a.m. "They reached the perimeter at 8:00. A teammate from Kfar Aza had received updates about the situation. The unit commander saw the messages and decided to enter Kfar Aza. They underestimated the severity of the situation and were unaware of the number of terrorists present. They entered in two vehicles with 16 men. They were met by 50 terrorists, managed to eliminate them, and cleared three houses. On their way to the fourth house, they were ambushed, and that's where he fell."
'I cannot bear the thought of leaving him here alone'
The pain of losing their son has lingered for over six months, and their yearning only grows stronger. "Every day we wake up and somehow manage to live. It's dreadful. It doesn't feel like living," Sigal said of her profound sorrow. "I miss his hugs the most, his love. He was a child who radiated love, always caring, loving, embracing, and making everyone feel like they were his closest friend. His smile could win anyone over. He always saw the brighter side of things. He frequently spoke about the significance of his role in the army. I supported him through every step, even though I spent many sleepless nights in fear."
Sharon added: "The memory that continually haunts us is of Amir's humor. He was incredibly witty, known for his spot-on impersonations of people, situations, and movie scenes. I miss sitting with him, laughing over various things. I miss him every single moment."
After Amir's death, his parents made the decision to leave Ghana and permanently settle back in Israel.
"It wasn't our plan to return, but I found myself coming here more often. It was the most surreal decision of my life," Sigal remarked. "I never imagined we would come back under these circumstances. It was supposed to be a joyous occasion since Amir and his sister had eagerly anticipated it. They had moved to Israel three years prior and were waiting for us to follow."
"Right after his death, we resolved that Israel was the best place for us despite the sheer madness and chaos here," Sigal said. "I cannot bear the thought of leaving him here alone. We decided we wouldn’t leave him here; we need our family and friends close. Just yesterday, we officially received our returning resident certificate. We had plans to move here in a few more years, but this incident changed everything. We want to stay close to Amir. During the shiva, we realized we have a network of family and friends here, and that’s what convinced us to stay."