A Jewish nurse who treated the anti-Semitic Pittsburgh synagogue shooting suspect said he “didn’t see evil” when he looked into the man’s eyes — and acted out of “love” to save his life.
Ari Mahler, a trauma nurse at Allegheny General Hospital, wrote a lengthy message on Facebook about his actions to save Robert Bowers, 46, who is accused of killing 11 congregants at the Tree of Life synagogue.
“I am The Jewish Nurse,” he wrote at the beginning of his 843-word post. “Yes, that Jewish Nurse. The same one that people are talking about in the Pittsburgh shooting that left 11 dead. The trauma nurse in the ER that cared for Robert Bowers who yelled, ‘Death to all Jews,’ as he was wheeled into the hospital.”
Mahler acknowledged feeling nervous about sharing his story.
“I just know I feel alone right now, and the irony of the world talking about me doesn’t seem fair without the chance to speak for myself,” he wrote.
Mahler, one of two medical workers to treat Bowers on Oct. 27, said, “Love as an action is more powerful than words, and love in the face of evil gives others hope.”
“It demonstrates humanity. It reaffirms why we’re all here. The meaning of life is to give meaning to life, and love is the ultimate force that connects all living beings,” he wrote.
Mahler described his own experiences with anti-Semitism.
“It’s hard for me to say if it was always a product of genuine hatred, or if kids with their own problems found a reason to single me out from others,” wrote Mahler, who worked as a loan officer and a financial consultant before becoming a nurse.
“Sure, there were a few Jewish kids at my school, but no one else had a father who was a Rabbi.”
His father, Mark Joel Mahler, retired in June as rabbi of Temple Emanuel of South Hills, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
“I found drawings on my desks of my family being marched into gas chambers, swastikas drawn on my locker, and notes shoved inside of it saying, ‘Die Jew. Love, Hitler.’ It was a different time back then, where bullying was not monitored like it is now,” he said.
Mahler also expressed his lack of surprise at the deadly attack, which also left six people injured, including four police officers.
Bowers has pleaded not guilty to a 44-count grand jury indictment charging him with murder, hate crimes, obstructing the practice of religion and other crimes.
“The fact that this shooting took place doesn’t shock me. To be honest, it’s only a matter of time before the next one happens,” he said. “History refutes hope that things will change. My heart yearns for change, but today’s climate doesn’t foster nurturing, tolerance, or civility.”
As for Bowers, Mahler said: “To be honest, I didn’t see evil when I looked into Robert Bowers’ eyes. I saw something else,” he said, but declined to elaborate, citing medical privacy laws.
“I can tell you that as his nurse, or anyone’s nurse, my care is given through kindness, my actions are measured with empathy, and regardless of the person you may be when you’re not in my care, each breath you take is more beautiful than the last when you’re lying on my stretcher,” he said.
Mahler added that he was certain Bowers was unaware the nurse is Jewish.
“Why thank a Jewish nurse, when 15 minutes beforehand, you’d shoot me in the head with no remorse? I didn’t say a word to him about my religion. I chose not to say anything to him the entire time,” he wrote.
“I wanted him to feel compassion. I chose to show him empathy. I felt that the best way to honor his victims was for a Jew to prove him wrong. Besides, if he finds out I’m Jewish, does it really matter? The better question is, what does it mean to you?”
