Staff Sgt. Ofir Melman, 21: Combat medic and Hapoel Tel Aviv superfan

Staff Sgt. Ofir Melman, 21, a combat medic in the Nahal Brigade’s reconnaissance battalion, from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, was killed on October 7 while treating soldiers wounded during the Hamas invasion of the Kibbutz Sufa IDF outpost.

When the invasion began, Ofir decided not to enter the protected area in the kibbutz but to go outside and treat wounded soldiers of the Nahal Brigade’s 50th Battalion.

Staff Sgt. Gali Shakotai and Sgt. Nahman Dekel provided cover as he was doing so, but they were all ultimately slain in the fighting.

Ofir is survived by his parents, Linda and Ilan, his sisters, Gal, Shani, and Talia, and his twin brother Lior. He was buried in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, whose founders include Ofir’s grandparents.

After being posted in Kibbutz Sufa, right near his home in the Nir Yitzhak, he used to walk to his post every day and bring home-cooked meals to his fellow fighters. Only two days before he was killed, he had come home to take meat for a barbecue with his friends. That was the last time he saw his family, according to a memorial page on a Nahal Brigade site.

Before being conscripted into the military, Ofir had been participating in a gap-year program in which he served as a youth instructor in Pardes Hanna. They called him “the King,” because of his exemplary conduct and the role model he provided, the site said.

In his spare time, he would produce large-scale parties in his kibbutz, at which he would also sometimes serve as the DJ. An amateur barber, Ofir would give his entire staff haircuts while they were at the military base. He would conduct conversations with them while cutting their hair and in this way forged deep, lasting friendships with each of them.

Ofir’s parents said that when his friends came to visit, each one would describe him as their best friend, showing how the deep connections he had made with those around him.

He was a devoted fan of the Hapoel Tel Aviv soccer team, which extended condolences to the family upon his death.

“Ofir was always happy and smiling,” a post by the club said. “Every Saturday, when he was home, he was either at a party or at a Hapoel game, or both. He was happy and made others happy that way, always looking for new adventures and looking out for his friends. He was thrilled at every little win by Hapoel, and while he was not able to attend the latest match, his friends will continue going for him. He will join them from above. We will always love and admire you, our beloved friend.”

“Talking about Ofir in the past tense is impossible,” his community and friends eulogized him. “He will always remain in our hearts and our thoughts, wherever we go. We’ll forever miss you, embrace those you hold dear, and remember all the good you brought into our lives. We wanted you to know that Hapoel lost again, as did the whole world.”

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