I am Israel's Lady in Red and this is how I survived Nova festival massacre

Summary

Vlada papov, a 25-year-old Ukrainian-born Israeli mother, recounts surviving the October 2022 Hamas attack on the Supernova music festival, where gunmen killed 340 people. She describes enjoying the festival before suddenly hearing gunshots and sirens, then witnessing terrorists shooting people trying to flee. Trapped between gunmen on both sides of the road, Vlada and others hide in shelters before running to nearby fields. Separated from her partner Matan, Vlada jumps into a car of strangers to escape while Matan is left behind. After a harrowing drive, Vlada reaches safety but is distraught not knowing if Matan survived. She expresses horror at the nationwide attacks but resolve not to let the terrorists win.

Takeaways

• 😨 Vlada and her friend felt uneasy at the festival before the attack
• 😱 The terrorists disguised themselves in military uniforms and vehicles
• 🏃‍♀️Vlada and her friend fled to their car but got stuck in traffic trying to escape
• 🔫 The terrorists started shooting indiscriminately at the festival attendees
• 👮‍♂️ A policeman told them to run to a nearby shelter for safety
• 🚗 Vlada's friend My jumped into a passing car, leaving Vlada's husband Matan behind
• 💔 Matan witnessed the car driving away without him while he screamed for them to stop
• 🚑 Vlada and My were eventually rescued separately and taken to army bases
• 😭 The experience was deeply traumatizing for Vlada, My and Matan
• 🙏 Vlada feels lucky to have survived and reunited with her young daughter

Q & A

What event is Vlada recounting in this interview?

Vlada is recounting her experience surviving the October 7th massacre at the Supernova Festival in Israel, where Hamas gunmen killed 340 people and took 40 hostage.

What made Vlada feel like something was not right at the festival?

Vlada said she felt it was very cold and something did not feel right, even though she would normally be dancing at an event like this.

How did Vlada and others try to escape the attack?

When the attack started, Vlada and others tried to get to their cars to escape, but the roads were blocked by other vehicles and they had nowhere to go.

How did Vlada ultimately survive the attack?

Vlada survived by hiding under a tree briefly, before a man opened the door to his car and let Vlada and her friend My jump in right before My was shot.

What happened to Vlada's husband Matan during the attack?

Matan was not initially let into the car with Vlada. He survived by getting into another army vehicle that eventually rescued him.

How long did the terrorist attack last?

Vlada said the shooting and attacks went on for two days before the area was cleared of terrorists.

What injuries did Vlada sustain during the attack?

Vlada did not mention sustaining any physical injuries, but the emotional trauma is still evident when she recalls the events.

How has the attack impacted Vlada's outlook?

Though still processing what happened, Vlada says she does not want to fall down or let them win and is thankful she survived to see her young daughter again.

Why does Vlada believe so many were impacted by this attack?

She states that everyone in the country lost someone or was impacted in some way, given the scale and duration of the attacks.

How does Vlada feel about her image becoming an iconic photo from the attack?

She is happy her image symbolizes a girl who survived rather than someone who didn't, giving people some hope.