The paralysed blogger who logged on to love
04/04/2008
By Lianne Kolirin
RONEN Porat has a lot of friends. Some are from childhood, some are from the army, and dozens upon dozens are people that he has met over the internet.
But Porat is not your average blogger. He shot to fame in Israel in 2003 when his story grabbed at the collective heartstrings of the nation. What made his tale so different from the millions of others floating around in cyberspace were the challenges that he overcame to write it.
Ronen was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2000, aged 30. Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS is the progressive, usually fatal, motor-neuron disease which also affects British physicist Stephen Hawking. Ronen first noticed a weakness in his left hand while playing basketball, dealing cards, and shaking hands. Now it has robbed him of almost all of his physical capabilities.
But inside his paralysed and speechless body, Ronen — who is a graduate in industrial design — remains lucid and alert. Three years into his disease, he emailed the editor of Ynet — the web version of Israeli newspaper Yediot Achronot — with the idea of an online diary. Editor Ilan Itzhayek initially dismissed the email as junk, but fortunately returned to give it a second read.
Ronen “typed” his message with the aid of modern technology. A specially designed device attached to his forehead allowed him to communicate with his laptop. Moved by Ronen’s powerful story and sparkling prose, Itzhayek commissioned the series.
For six months from September 2003, thousands of online fans logged on to Ynet to read Ronen’s compelling blog, dubbed “An Optimistic Journal”. Although it was intended to raise awareness of the disease, the diary was less about ALS and more, as Ronen described it, “a private lens… into my world and my life as a person whose body and speech have been paralysed by a neurological illness”.
The blog spawned a thriving forum and was last month published in its entirety as a book, entitled Eventually, An Angel Will Come. Yet to be translated into English, it includes feedback from forum users, many of whom have since gone on to set up a support group for ALS sufferers and their families.
Contrary to what one might expect, the book does not make for depressing reading. Introducing himself, he writes: “My name is Ronen. I’m 33 years old, divorced, unemployed and I live with my mother. Like George Costanza [from Seinfeld], bar a few minor differences.”
The diary also led Ronen to an unexpected romance. When an old friend whom Ronen describes as his “laptop doctor” emigrated to America, he recommended that his sister, Tali, take over as Ronen’s technical adviser. The pair knew each other from their younger years, but were never close.
Late last year Tali, 37, a divorced mother of two, moved in to the Holon apartment as Ronen’s girlfriend. In his book, Ronen describes Tali as “my reason for getting up in the morning”. According to her, the feeling is mutual.
“He’s my angel, no less than everyone claims that I’m his angel,” she says. “I believe he was sent to me. I don’t believe that I could have loved someone else like this. It’s a special connection.”
Ronen comes across as a likable, ordinary guy whose life has fallen foul of an extraordinary twist of fate. The diary was his link to the outside world, allowing him to share his thoughts, dreams and passions. He writes: “The things I really miss are the small things that everybody has. These include backgammon, football, swimming, eating, picnics and dancing to loud music in front of the TV. Let it be a reminder to you: the big pleasures in life are priceless. They come for free.”
He writes movingly of all the key players in his life, in particular his ex-wife, his dog Soya, his Filipino carer Bobby (“my mashiach”) and his mother Yael, whose life has been blighted by tragedy and loss. Her father perished at the hands of the Nazis, the eldest of her three sons, Yoel, died in the Yom Kippur War, and her husband died from a mysterious neurological disease — which doctors now realise was ALS.
Ronen writes: “But mum says my illness is the worst bomb to fall on her. She says it’s even harder than the death of Yoel. That’s understandable: in 1973 she had a family around her to share her grief. Today she goes to sleep alone, with nobody to cry to. But you’d never know it to meet her. Sorrow hides its ugly face.”
Over the last couple of years, the muscles in Ronen’s neck and forehead have weakened, making it virtually impossible for him to type. Yet the publication of his book has resurrected the interest in his story — and particularly in his newly added instalments.
And it also enabled him to find love with Tali. As she helped Ronen with his IT needs, the communication between them grew. She also helped to design a letter board which enabled Ronen to “speak”.
She recalls: “I came to look after the computer, but then saw that I could make things easier for him.Then we started communicating more.
“Slowly, though, I started to notice something different. I would stand in front of him with the board and feel shy. To look in his eyes did something to me. It’s hard to accept that you are falling in love with somebody who is paralysed. I tried to work out if it was pity, but I had butterflies when I stood in front of him with the board. He would look at me and I would get all confused.
“We have disagreements like all couples, and even arguments — but it all takes place on the board. I have had situations where we are arguing and I want to leave.
“You want to leave so that he will chase after you, but there’s none of that so you don’t go, and that gives him the opportunity to say what he really wants to say. Disagreements and arguments end within moments.
“We have a relationship like other people, but it’s different. There’s a lot of love, feeling and understanding.”
She adds: “The only thing that I often miss is the chance to speak to him, to simply hear his voice. In my dreams he’s often laughing with me and speaking to me.”
Tragically, Ronen is no longer able to continue writing, and today his only means of communicating is through subtle eye movements that only Tali can understand.
Working hard to try and find another alternative for him, she says: “He manages to say what he wants, but it isn’t what it was. He still has some movement in his mouth, so I hope to try and work out some kind of solution for him.”
The cause of ALS remains unknown and there is no cure. Life expectancy varies, but only 10 per cent of sufferers survive for more than a decade.
“I can’t think about it,” says Tali. “I can’t think about a day when I will get up in the morning and Ronen won’t be in this world, in my world. I can’t imagine my life without Ronen.”
In December 2007, Ronen “wrote”: “My Tali is the happy ending that makes everything better, the big miracle that befell me after all the words and letters ran out. She loves me, I love her. A lot, more than anything in the world. I would never have imagined that she could happen to me. Because of her, I’ve started to believe that maybe there is such a thing as life after death.”
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Those who aid and abet Nazi-Muslims have lost their head
Re: An Open Letter to the Secretary of State of the United States of America [ Post 296161313, reply to 296160765 ]
Quote:
MORE importantly, the bible warns of idiots easily fooled by the clever deception of the devil.
Yes, they fall too easily for the Roman Catholic Cult and its spin-off daughters, counterfeit Christianity, swallowing the Babylonian Mystery religion hook, line and sinker and get very angry when it’s exposed that their wannabe divine emperor (Constantine and Catholic company of sorcerer-popes) has no clothes.
C.H. Spurgeon on Christmas and Roman Catholicism
Quote:
It warns of fools who can easily be identified by the content of their heart. They is identified by the false sense of righteousness in committing murder. Know what I mean david?
Yes, the Nazi-Muslims who commit mass murder and think they’re going to a heavenly harem and smoke hash, and who state publicly they wish they had more children to blow themselves up for their demon god, more children to sacrifice to their bloody moon god, and such bloody idiots are aided and abetted by those with an insane jealousy, a murderous hatred of Jesus’ brethren, the Jews. They’ve been warned.
Megillat Bush - The Bush Scroll
It must really disturb you and your demonic kind that it’s prophesied Yeshua will be received by His Jewish brethren, will return and reign from Jerusalem and teach Torah (not the Koran) from the holy Temple (not a mosque or cathedral) and all nations will be commanded to keep the biblical Sabbath, biblical festivals and biblical dietary laws or die. Idolatrous traditions and religious lies will be history!
Do You Prefer TRADITION Over Truth?
The REAL JESUS Can’t Return Until...
Quote:
NO WHERE does God make murder acceptable for one of his children towards another of his children.
I doubt the Nazi-Muslims will listen to you. Why aid and abet them? Have you lost your head?
Quote:
You work for and support Satan david, you think you work for God but by the time you realize you have been had, it will be too late.
Doesn’t say much for your spiritual perception when you accuse our Great Creator God, the God of the Bible, the God of Israel, of being "Satan." What I say is persistent and consistent with the Scriptures, unlike your madness and myths.
Quote:
The fact that you support the forced removal of the Arab and the murder of them if they don’t move is the first indicator you are under the spell of the master of deception and the owner of this world.
The fact that you’re either woefully ignorant or willfully ignorant that our Great Creator God, the God of the Bible, the God of Israel COMMANDS that Israel’s sworn enemies (like the Nazi Muslims) must be expelled and or destroyed shows you have been duped by the devil who the Nazi Muslims worship, the Islamoonies.
If and whenever, on those rare occasions, Israel removes the threat Nazi Muslims pose to the innocent Jewish men, women, children and babies in strollers (and even tourists), it is not murder (as practiced by the hostile Arabs) - it is self-defense, part of national security, and such hostile Arabs, Nazi Muslims, are not children of God since they clearly oppose His Word and Will (and murder His Jewish children - where’s your condemnation of their atrocities?) and refuse to submit and continue to suffer for their stupidity. Are you reprobate since you fail to grasp this or refuse to face this reality? God knows.
Christians Reject "Palestine" for the Promised Land of Israel
Israel’s Only Way Out: Follow Kahane!
Why Israel Will Survive a Nuclear Holocaust
Friday, April 4, 2008
Blacks prostitute their race
Too many blacks refuse to get up and get over it since there's money to be made by always playing the VICTIM. Hiding behind the color of their skin, too many blacks prostitute their race and are proud of it.
It's past time blacks get up and get over it
President Barack Obama sound good to you?
Race Matters
Black to Africa: Facing the Crisis in Black America
Diversity Demands: Segregate Now!
May 1: Illegal Immigration Day Defused!
Chocolate Continent Awaits the Great Black Return!
Martin Luther King Day?
Death to America: Major American Cities Targeted by Terrorists?
It's past time blacks get up and get over it
President Barack Obama sound good to you?
Race Matters
Black to Africa: Facing the Crisis in Black America
Diversity Demands: Segregate Now!
May 1: Illegal Immigration Day Defused!
Chocolate Continent Awaits the Great Black Return!
Martin Luther King Day?
Death to America: Major American Cities Targeted by Terrorists?
Thursday, April 3, 2008
It's past time blacks get up and get over it
Another apologist for Pastor Jeremiah Wright (Obama's favorite black supremacist, anti-American minister for over 20 years) further muddies the already troubled waters with his vain attempt to dismiss it all as typical of the "black religious experience."
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Cherry Blossom Festival
USA
Pretty in Pink: Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.
...cross the Potomac River to Washington, D.C. that is in full bloom with its Cherry Blossom Festival (thank you Japan for the gracious gift enjoyed by so many).
Pretty in Pink: Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.
...cross the Potomac River to Washington, D.C. that is in full bloom with its Cherry Blossom Festival (thank you Japan for the gracious gift enjoyed by so many).
Fanatically negative reviews
Beyond Babylon review
A Must Read, If You Share His Premises,
By Robert Locke
The fanatically negative reviews of other reviewers should clue the potential purchaser in on one thing only: this is a religious book, and as such, is contrary to some people's deeply-held beliefs. David Ben-Ariel is a Christian Zionist, something which upsets some people (read "Moslems") no end. But if you are a Christian seeking the connections between your own religion and Zionism, or a Jew, seeking to understand why some Christians are such staunch supporters of your cousins in the Middle East, this book is one of the best explanations out there. Ben-Ariel is not shy about taking the Bible, and what it implies about contemporary political events, seriously. If you are not a religious believer, you will find his connections between Bible verses and contemporary political events simply irrelevant, but that's up to you.
--
www.davidbenariel.org
A Must Read, If You Share His Premises,
By Robert Locke
The fanatically negative reviews of other reviewers should clue the potential purchaser in on one thing only: this is a religious book, and as such, is contrary to some people's deeply-held beliefs. David Ben-Ariel is a Christian Zionist, something which upsets some people (read "Moslems") no end. But if you are a Christian seeking the connections between your own religion and Zionism, or a Jew, seeking to understand why some Christians are such staunch supporters of your cousins in the Middle East, this book is one of the best explanations out there. Ben-Ariel is not shy about taking the Bible, and what it implies about contemporary political events, seriously. If you are not a religious believer, you will find his connections between Bible verses and contemporary political events simply irrelevant, but that's up to you.
--
www.davidbenariel.org
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