Tamar Torpiashvili, 9: An ‘angel’ who dreamed of being famous
Died a week after suffering a heart attack during a rocket siren in Ashdod, October 28
Tamar Torpiashvili, 9, died a week after suffering a heart attack during a rocket siren in Ashdod, October 28.
She is survived by her father, Avi Torpiashvili, mother Manana Sefi, siblings Eden and Itzik, and grandparents.
“Tamar was an angel, she was born on Shabbat morning and she parted with her soul again on Shabbat evening,” wrote her father Avi in announcing her death. “God gave us a gift for 9 years and 10 months, and thanks to your prayers we were able to be in her presence for another week in which we showered her with endless love until she took her last breath.”
At her funeral, her father recalled Tamar as “beautiful on the outside, and no less on the inside… full of joy for life, a child of love. Our Tamar touched innumerous hearts,” he said, noting how many people around the world prayed for her during the week she was hospitalized. “She always made sure to respect, to encourage, to embrace others, and always aspired to help others. She dreamed of being famous and being an influencer — Tamar, even on those goals you can put a big checkmark.”
“The fact that we lost you due to fears and anxiety which spiraled out of control before we could understand the intensity of the problem will stay with us for our entire lives,” he said. “I promise we will do everything to memoralize you everywhere we go.”
Avi told the Kan public broadcaster that Tamar was deeply panicked from seeing the news of everything going on around the country and from weeks of rocket attacks on the southern city where she lived. He called on parents to make sure their children were coping with the situation.
“We have to speak to our children, to listen to them, to check if they need strengthening, a hug, to get the fear out of their hearts, so they don’t end up like our Tamar, who was so full of anixety and fear that her heart gave out.”
Her brother Itzik said at her funeral that he wanted to “say goodbye before you go. I love you so much, I miss you so much, we’ll be together forever.”
Marking 30 days since her death, the women’s Maccabi Ironi Ashdod soccer team added her name to their logos and jerseys to memorialize the young girl — who loved to play the sport with her brother and dreamed one day of joining a team herself.
Tamar’s aunt, Haya Simel, wrote on Facebook that she remembered Tamar as an excellent student, an exuberant dancer and a child filled with joy and love.
When Tamar was born, “we received a beauty queen baby, the joy was enormous and the happiness huge,” wrote Simel. “Your love and your warmth were huge even for someone you’d only just met. You were were an excellent student… you always had a glowing face and smile full of light.”
“We keep sitting and waiting for the door to open or look out the window for you to call us to come downstairs — we can’t comprehend what happened, it feels like a dream, but it’s really a nightmare,” added Simel. “Tamari, our princess, our love, you were light and happiness and beauty and warmth, with a pure heart we will remember forever.”