A Jewish nurse who treated the man accused of killing 11 synagogue-goers, aged 54 to 97, took to social media to reflect on his experience with the suspected mass shooter.
Ari Mahler took to Facebook Saturday and said he treated Robert Bowers, 46, in the emergency room for gunshot wounds he sustained while reportedly opening fire at Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill. Mahler claimed Bowers yelled, “Death to All Jews,” as he, a Jewish nurse, saved his life.
“I don’t see evil when I looked into Robert Bower’s eyes. I saw something else,” Mahler wrote. “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.”
Since the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in U.S. history, Allegheny General Hospital President Jeffrey K. Cohen told WTAE that at least three hospital employees who treated Bowers are Jewish. He claimed Bowers shouted slurs as hospital staff diligently worked to save his life.
“We’re here to take care of sick people,” Cohen—who is a member of the Tree of Life synagogue—told the news station.
“We’re not here to judge you. We’re not here to ask ’Do you have insurance?’ or ’Do you not have insurance?’ We’re here to take care of people that need our help.”
Cohen also told Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he knew nine of the people killed in the October 27 shooting. He said he decided to see Bowers face to face and described him as a “very lost guy.”
Mahler went on to say that he showed Bowers “compassion” and “empathy” to give others hope and honor the 11 victims by showing him that he was wrong about Jews.
He concluded his now-viral Facebook post with, “I could care less what Robert Bowers thinks, but you, the person reading this, love is the only message I wish [to] instill in you. If my actions mean anything, love means everything.”
I am The Jewish Nurse. Yes, that Jewish Nurse. The same one that people are talking about in the Pittsburgh shooting…
Posted by Ari Mahler on Saturday, November 3, 2018
[Featured Image: Ari Mahler/Facebook]
