Operation Bring Mom Home: Evacuation from Israel

Hello, my name is Rebeca Requena Ramirez, I’m from Irvine California and I’m asking for your support to cover the cost of emergency flights that were purchased to bring my mom, Vicky Ramirez, back home from Israel to Irvine, CA.

On October 4, 2023, our beloved mom arrived in Israel with her church group seeking a spiritual journey and connection. Little did we know that this would turn into a terrifying experience. On October 7, she found herself caught in the crossfire of a war zone, where bombs rained down, and turmoil engulfed the streets of Israel.

Following the attacks, my sisters and I did all we could to help get our mom out of Israel and safely back home. We contacted the Mexican and U.S. embassies to try to secure protection for her while in Israel, but unfortunately these options were not viable as they required an unknown amount of time in Israel before rescue could be provided.

As a result, our mom was forced to remain in a bomb barricade for several days while my sisters and I worked tirelessly to find a way out of Israel. Finally, we found a glimpse of hope in a scheduled flight out of Israel that seemed promising. Our mom made her way to the Tel Aviv airport, which was a very scary and dangerous trip as transit areas to the airport continued to be actively attacked and all cell service was lost. Unfortunately, this flight was canceled as many tourists tried to make their way back home and all flights had been exhausted. Our mom had to repeat this process several times until finally we were able to purchase a flight to Ethiopia. On October 12, our mom was finally able to board a flight out of Israel. Once in Ethiopia, she was able to purchase a flight to Rome that would eventually lead her back home to Los Angeles.

Although our mom is an extremely hardworking and dedicated woman, the severity of the trauma endured in Israel has left her unable to return to work or resume her normal life as loud noises and other sensory input bring her back to those terrifying days in the war zone. These unforeseen emergency expenses have left her with a financial burden that only intensifies her stress and trauma.

We are reaching out to you, our friends, family, coworkers, and compassionate strangers, in the hope that you can help us bring some relief to our beloved mom. Your donation, no matter how small, will go a long way in covering the cost of these emergency flights and lifting the heavy burden off her shoulders. Let's come together and support her on her path to healing and recovery. Your generosity can make a world of difference, allowing her to find peace and solace once more. Thank you for your kindness and support during this challenging time.