Dudi Turgeman, 26: Partygoer 'didn't waste a minute of life'

Murdered at the Supernova music festival, October 7

Dudi Turgeman, 26, was murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Supernova music festival on October 7.

His sister said that she spoke to him early that morning, and he told the family that he was on his way home. They never heard from him again. After almost 24 hours without any word, members of the family drove to where he was last seen to search for him, and found his body and those of his four friends, riddled with bullets, lying on the side of the road.

He was buried on October 15 in Moshav Tzohar. He is survived by his parents, Yonit and Meir, and four younger siblings: Ofir, Roi, Guy and Nitzan.

He grew up in Moshav Sde Nitzan near southern Gaza, where his family runs the Turgeman Farm.

His mother, Yonit, described her son on Facebook: “My Dudi loved life, he lived for parties and friends, long weekends of 24/7 parties, he breathed motorcycle trips and nature, he built and assembled projects in the garden and all this he combined with work that he loved so much. My Dudi didn’t waste a minute or even a second of life, he partied for hours and days without sleep, few could keep up with him which is why he had different groups of friends for different activities.”

On the day of his funeral, Yonit wrote: “You are the one who gave meaning to my life and made me a mother for my whole life. Thank you for 26 years that you gave me the honor of being a proud mother until your last moment. I want to believe that you always knew that being your mom is forever, in good and bad and in life and also afterward. I want to believe that my heart is shattered into a thousand pieces because one special piece that will always be missing went along with you to surround you in heaven.”

Dudi’s lifelong friend, Yarin Almasi, wrote on Facebook that he was “taken from us at such a young age. You were so beautiful and smiley and happy and joyous and energetic.”

Dudi, Almasi asked, “Do you remember all of our experiences together? All the nonsense we did together? You were the king of nonsense. And forever you will remain the king of nonsense. Tell me, do you remember all of our trips? Thailand, Greece, Eilat, the north, Tel Aviv? Because I, I simply can’t forget them… You are one of a kind like no other. One who was always surrounded by others. Why? Because you were simply everything. You were the light of all of us. The laughter, the joy, the energy.”

His sister, Ofir, wrote on Facebook about the experience of having a brother like Dudi: “It’s to know that no matter what’s happening Dudi will find a solution to everything. It’s to know that even if he doesn’t tell you anything you can tell him everything because he’ll never tell anyone and always keep your secrets. It’s to know that even if he laughs and seems not serious he can focus in three seconds if something is wrong and he will always make you smile even if you’re crying.”

Ofir described her brother as generous, caring, making friends in a heartbeat, and always there for them: “He would travel even to the end of the world and back to help you.” Since his murder, she said, the family has been surrounded by mourners and friends who have come to tell stories and how they “get photos and videos every day from friends where it is written underneath: ‘I’m not responsible for what you’ll see,’ because he was always doing nonsense.”

She wrote that now when she hears “sirens or gunfire I don’t even move from my mattress because I have nothing left to lose in this world… I miss you Dudi. I miss you with every step and with every breath.”