Staff Sargeant (res.) Omer Balva, 22, who was killed by an anti-tank missile on the northern border on October 20, had been in the U.S. with his family when Hamas launched its surprise attack on Israel just two weeks prior.
Omer was born and raised in the U.S. About 8 years ago, his older sister Shahar decided to make Aliyah and enlist in the IDF as a combat soldier. Inspired by her, Omer participated in a Masa program, made Aliyah through the Garin Tzabar Lone Soldier Program, and enlisted in the Golani Brigade. Following Shahar and Omers' move, their parents also migrated back to Israel with their youngest son.
Omer attended a Jewish school in the U.S., was active in sports and played soccer. The family describes him as a smart and sociable child, very active socially in school and in the community. They talk about his Zionism, which burned in him since he was a child, and the desire to contribute to the State of Israel and join the IDF.
After his military service, he enrolled in studies together with his partner of five years Odelya. She says they were destined, a love beyond words. "He was my anchor," she says.
Omer planned to propose, and he already bought a ring. He told the whole family about his plans, and Odelya also felt it was coming. "It was clear to both of us that this relationship is forever, we didn't even need to talk about it, we knew we would get married."
He began his studies in Business Administration and Economics on the International Track at Reichenman University.
About a month and a half before the war, the family, including Odelya, went on an extended trip. They returned to Israel a few days before October 7, while Omer and Odelya stayed behind to continue traveling for another ten days, following the original plan.
On the morning of October 7, Omer called his father Eyal at 6:30, expressing concern for the family's well-being and informing them of the situation. Omer, not wanting to stay in Las Vegas, urgently requested to return to Israel. Eyal persuaded him to remain until the scheduled flight date a week and a half later. Ultimately, unable to find an earlier flight, Omer agreed to stay at the family home in Maryland until he could return to Israel.
The day after arriving in Maryland, Omer called to report that some of his unit friends were injured and others had died. He insisted he could not stay in the United States any longer and requested an immediate return to Israel. His father lies there were no tickets available, as he did not want Omer to return. However, Omer stubbornly found a ticket himself. "I probably felt that something was wrong; we all felt that way," Eyal admitted.
When Omer arrived in Israel, he immediately wanted to enlist, but Eyal convinced him to stay home for one more day to enjoy a good meal. On Tuesday morning, October 17, Eyal drove him north. "During the entire trip, we held hands, hugged and discussed everything. There was a strange feeling during that journey. Even his messages were unusual. When he left for 36 hours, he initially wrote 'we'll talk on Sunday morning,' then quickly corrected it to 'maybe we'll talk...'"
That weekend, they had guests over on Friday evening. Odelya recalls waking up with a heavy feeling: "I tried to keep myself busy and not think." Eyal experienced a similar unease a day earlier: "I was drinking coffee in the yard when I suddenly wondered how I would accommodate everyone here for the Shiv'aa. I gave myself a stern look and tried to think of something else." Sigal, Omer's mother, tearfully shared, "I always worried about this child, ever since he was little. Because he was an angel, too good."
The officers knocked on the door at midnight, between Friday and Saturday. Surprised, Sigal asked who it could be at that hour, and Eyal told her to stay in bed, saying, "I'm going down to talk to the army." Confused, she remained while he went to answer the door. Seeing only the uniforms through the camera, he knew the grim news they brought. "I screamed at them 'just tell me he's injured', even though I knew they wouldn’t come just for that. The officer stayed silent and I kept shouting, warning him that I wouldn’t open unless he responded."
"Omer was a messenger, I probably always knew that. He realized it too in his last year, achieving more than in his entire life," Sigal recounts. "After his fall, I learned from his friends about his significant impact; in the operation where he fell, he saved dozens, if not hundreds, of soldiers."
Eyal added, "It was an army failure, yet Omer managed to save so many. We knew we couldn't stop him from going; we just pleaded with him not to always volunteer to lead. Ultimately, he volunteered to replace the commander, and that's how he fell. He always went first."
The Balva family has established a memorial initiative titled "Be Kind" in his honor. "This was Omer's motto, and we aim to extend the goodness and kindness he embodied. Omer revered life and human dignity, acting with generosity, empathy, politeness and compassion in all his interactions. An achiever, a warrior at heart, a true friend and a source of pride, Omer’s legacy of kindness is what we hope to perpetuate, encouraging everyone to bring out the best in themselves and contribute to a better world. That is how we can truly prevail."