SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KGTV) — An Israeli mother who survived the Hamas attack on October 7th is visiting San Diego to recover and to share her family’s story.
Addi Cherry spoke with ABC 10News at the Jewish Federation in Kearny Mesa.
“I have to say the terror you feel…it’s hard to explain. But your blood just freeze,” said Addi Cherry.
Addi says she woke up just before 6 a.m. on October 7th to the sound of missiles, grenades and gunfire. Her husband, Oren, ran to the window to look outside.
“He was yelling, oh my God, the Hamas in the Kibbutz! He saw three or four terrorists wearing all black,” she said.
Addi, Oren and their kids are members of Kibbutz Nachal Oz. Their home is just 800 meters from the Gaza strip.
“We heard our main door being broken and we heard them come into our house,” she said.
Addi says they ran to a safe room inside their home where they barricaded themselves for hours.
“We really held that door for our life,” she said.
She says Hamas tried several times, unsuccessfully, to break into the safe room. At one point, she positioned herself closest to the door in case they did.
“In my head I said, if they do manage to open the door…maybe they’ll see me. A woman. And maybe I’ll be enough. And I could save my family.”
She says after nearly 24 hours without power or water, they were rescued by IDF.
Addi showed 10News photos of what remains now of their home and shared what they saw when they evacuated out of the neighborhood.
“Outside…it’s literally like we stepped into hell.”
Addi says she’s sharing her story to bear witness to that day and for friends and neighbors who were taken hostage.
“If I have one wish…do whatever we can, you can, in order for them to come back not tomorrow…today.”
