Rona Ramon, wife of first Israeli astronaut, passes away at 54
Rona Ramon's life was plagued by tragedy. Her husband Ilan Ramon, an Israeli pilot, died in the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster, while their son Assaf, also a pilot, was killed in an Air Force training accident.
Rona Ramon, the widow of Israel's first astronaut Col. Ilan Ramon, passed away on Monday at the age of 54 after a long battle with cancer.
Ramon's life was plagued by tragedy. Her husband Ilan Ramon, an Israeli Air Force pilot who took part in the bombing of Iraq's unfinished Osirak nuclear reactor in 1981, was killed in the Columbia space shuttle disaster in 2003. Their son, Capt. Assaf Ramon, also an IAF pilot, was killed in a training accident in 2009.
Rona was a public activist who supported education and advancement of youth in Israel.
She was born in Kiryat Ono in 1964 and served as a paramedic in the IDF's Paratroopers Brigade. At the age of 22 she married Ilan Ramon, six months after the two met at a birthday party. She went on to study physical education at the Wingate Institute and worked as a sports teacher.
After their second child was born, the couple moved to the Ramat David Air Base. They later moved to Hatzor Air Base and then to Re'ut, where Rona ran a thriving therapeutic clinic.
In 1998, the family moved to Houston, Texas, where her husband trained for the space mission. On February 1, 2003, Ilan Ramon was killed when the Columbia Space Shuttle disintegrated as it was re-entering Earth's atmosphere after completing its space mission.
After the disaster, Rona and her children returned to Israel, where she decided to study for a master's degree in creative writing.
In an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth reporter Smadar Shir, Ramon explained her decision. "It was clear to me that I was going to explore my experiences in an effort to find some kind of an answer," she said. "I started collecting testimonies from families who experienced sudden death, which is different from death resulting from a disease that allows time to say goodbye."
"When sudden death occurs, life as we know it is suddenly lost. Our foundations break apart and the pieces must be gathered, even though the light at the end of the tunnel cannot be seen yet. I have found studies that deal with the feelings of widows, who ask themselves: 'Are we normal?' and I understood them," she told the reporter.
In September 2009, Rona suffered another tragedy when her eldest son Assaf was killed in a training accident while flying an F-16. He was laid to rest in the cemetery in Nahalal, where his father was buried.
"Assaf my dear, this is my grave, and my place—you were supposed to bury me at an old and tender age, with a million grandchildren. I'm so angry. They promised me that they would protect Ilan, they promised me that they would protect you," Rona said at the grave site, which was initially reserved for her. "Assaf my dear, I know that dad is watching over you now, loving you, embracing you. For me you are the king of the world."
Ramon channeled her grief into a series of social projects. She founded the Ramon Foundation, which strives to provide the young Israeli generation with "academic excellence, social leadership and groundbreaking courage." She also worked for years to promote youth and children in Israel.
Ramon, who researched the different manners with which people cope with loss, gave lectures and workshops and treated individuals for years, using her personal story as an example and inspiration to many.
On Independence Day 2016, Rona Ramon was among the torchbearers at the annual ceremony on Mount Herzl. She said that her children were excited upon hearing that she would be honored at the torch lighting ceremony on Israel's 68th Independence Day.
"They told me that I was a queen, and that I deserve it, and that they know how hard I work and how much time I devote. I hope that many schools and many children will benefit from the activities of the foundation, which needs more donors. We hope to reach every child who wants to participate," she said at the time.
While holding the torch, Ramon declared: "I light this torch in honor of my loved ones, Ilan and Assaf, who were a candle and a lighthouse to the fulfillment of my vision. In honor of the Air Force pilots throughout the generations who protect us from above; in honor of the astronauts carrying out groundbreaking work for humanity, and in honor of my children and all the wonderful young people who grow up with love for fellow men and for Israel, and the hope for peace."
Last September, Ramon laid the cornerstone for a pre-military preparatory program in Mitzpe Ilan, which was named after her husband. The pre-military academy will be named after her son Assaf.
Rona Ramon is survived by three children.
