Ashkenazi and Appel being taken to hospital after the car attack
Ashkenazi and Appel being taken to hospital after the car attackYonatan Sindel/Flash90

The Tel Hashomer hospital can be a stuffy place when a person has to spend six months in the rehabilitation center there, so hinted Staff Sergeant Yarin Ashkenazi and Yuval Appel, who were finally released from the rehab hospital after being patients there for over six months. 

The two soldiers were both seriously injured in a car ramming attack that took place at the Sinjil junction, which is located near the town of Shiloh in Samaria on August 6th. Their commander, Daniel Elbaz, was lightly wounded and succeeded in killing their attacker. 

Ashkenazi and Appel were brought to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem on respirators and unconscious. Following months of rehabilitation they finally received the welcome news that they were being released from hospital with a clean bill of health. 

Ashkenazi told Yediot Aharonot that he is excited to begin a new chapter in his life. "Finally after six months I can go home," said the soldier excitedly. "This all happened due to the help provided to us by a lot of wonderful people and volunteers who helped to organize this special night for us. There is nothing like it, these people came and supported us, and forced me to raise myself up out of the pit that I found myself in. I always say: Don't let your dreams stay dreams, fulfill them." 

The excited Ashkenazi said that "for me the sky is now the limit." Ashkenazi still has a minor surgery that he needs to have done on one of his knees but he said that "it's nothing. I call it renovations, and that's it, I'm getting right to work. From now on I am doing only day shifts from home." The combat soldier said that his family are all "champs, each and every one. My brother slept by my side in Hadassah for a month and a half, and when I finally woke up I had no idea that he had been there. Little by little I came back to myself through all of their help." 

Ashkenazi regailed reporters with his desire to be an actor. "I want to learn at Beit Tzvi (national acting school), it is the dream that has accompanied me throughout my entire military service. I hope I have the talent and that I will succeed." 

Appel, having suffered a major head injury, regained consciousness only one month after the attack. He told reporters that "it was a very tough six months, but whenever there is a will anything is possible. I will still have daily rehabilitation visits so I haven't quite finished with the hospital completely, but to be able to go home and not to have to sleep in the hospital is really something that makes me happy."

"My family was with me and supported me the entire way, they are also really happy to have me back at home. My plans for the future are mainly to begin to study, I haven't yet decided what but for now that is the plan."

Echoing some of Ashkenazi's enthusiasm, Apple said "it was a very difficult time, but now we are celebrating and we are showing that anything is possible."