You are on your dream vacation among the sites, sounds, people and aromas you cherish. You take an early afternoon break with your teenage son while mom finishes some shopping. You have finally found a chance to sample a meal known as one of the area’s most enjoyed specialties.
Moments later, your son is blown violently into your arms. His body alive, but torn apart from the blast of a suicide bomber’s backpack just a few feet away. He’s rushed to intensive care, receives 200 units of blood to keep him alive, and you wait.
And pray.
And cry.
For 27 days Tuly Wultz, the father of 16-year-old Daniel Wultz — my neighbors in Weston, Florida — did everything he could to fight for his son’s last wish to come true.
“I want to live,” Daniel Wultz told the anesthesiologist when he arrived at the emergency room before losing consciousness.
“I want to live.”
Despite the prayers and tears of Tuly and Daniel’s mother, Sheryl Cantor Wultz, a native of Richmond, Virginia and cousin of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor who has lived most of her life in south Florida, despite the best medical attention and resources in the world, despite the love and support that poured in for young Daniel from across the globe … despite it all … his parents and doctors could not honor Daniel’s last wish.
At noon on Sunday, May 14, 2006 – Mother’s Day – Daniel Wultz, surrounded by his family and loved ones whose prayers throughout Daniel’s 27-day fight to survive would not be granted, breathed his last breath.
Tuly, Sheryl and their daughter, Amanda, returned to Weston – a 20 minute drive from Fort Lauderdale Airport – with Daniel’s body. I saw them in person for the first time at Daniel’s funeral and met them at their home afterwards to hand deliver a condolence letter from Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu, the former and future Israeli leader, had lost his own beloved brother, Yoni Netanyahu, to terrorists 30 years earlier on July 4, 1976 as he led a heroic rescue mission at the Ugandan Airport known as Entebbe.
While the anguish, tears, pain and heartache continued, Daniel’s parents established the Daniel Cantor Wultz Foundation in their son’s memory for the purpose of promoting tolerance and acceptance through educational and sports activities. That was their first response to the horror of losing Daniel – actively working to create a safer, more loving world for all of our sons and daughters.
And then they sought justice for Daniel. They fought to bring justice to those accountable for Daniel’s murder, including those who provided funding, intelligence, logistical, training, military and financial support without which Daniel, and so many others, would not have died.
While they succeeded in winning a $332 million judgment against the Islamic Republic of Iran and Syria for their direct involvement, their fight against the powerful Bank of China continues in a New York courtroom. Standing against a legion of lawyers hired to defend Bank of China from the allegation of knowingly passing funds to the group that killed Daniel, the Wultz family has fought courageously.
Knowing they stood against Goliath, their prayer for a David was answered when famed attorney David Boies took on their case and has stood with them in demanding justice for Daniel. The story of their struggle is told in detail at danielwultz.com through news headlines and articles from around the globe.
As a father, I mourn their loss everyday.
I know there is no justice that can return Daniel to the loving embrace of his family and friends.
And as a father, I also know that their fight is my fight.
I too stand for Justice for Daniel Wultz.
And many others do too. Less than 24 hours after launching a Facebook group yesterday afternoon, they have more than 1,200 members. (UPDATE: At the start of the second day, their group has more than 2,000 members.)
Their battle continues against one of the world’s most powerful entities despite millions of dollars spent by Bank of China and the global influence they exert to be shielded from responsibility for the irreparable harm done by terrorists who depend on the cooperation of big banks to facilitate attacks that deliberately target innocent civilians.
As a father, I hope they win.
I hope in Daniel’s name, they will help create a world safer for my own children and yours.
For all of us.
That is a prayer that may yet be answered.
RELATED:
- Justice for Daniel Wultz Website
- Times of Israel: Israel backing away from Bank of China terror financing case
- Yediot Achronot: The Chinese Conundrum
- JPost (6/22/13): China pressuring Netanyahu to drop support for US terror funding case
- Wall Street Journal: US Court Case Tests Israeli Resolve
- Haaretz (6/14/13): The Chinese connection: A Jewish-American family’s quest to find those responsible for their son’s death