Revived on the Railway: A Journey of Faith and Survival

At first glance, Hadara Chazan seems like any other young woman. Yet her unwavering faith sets her apart, especially for someone her age. At just twenty-six, her story reveals a depth and clarity shaped by profound life experiences.

We met over hot cocoa, which eventually turned into indulgent Belgian waffles, and spent the time listening to her story while enjoying her warm and thoughtful presence.

A Close-Knit Beginning

“I was born and raised in Antwerp, Belgium,” Hadara begins. “The Orthodox community there is very close-knit. Everyone knows one another, prays in the same synagogues, and even goes to the same doctors. It’s like one big family. I’m the second of five children. My childhood was happy. We lived in an incredible community, and I have wonderful siblings. I led a calm and joyful life in Belgium. I was lively, affectionate, and very loved.”

That sense of normalcy shifted when she was fourteen. “During a routine school check-up, a heart murmur was discovered. That was the first time I realized I might be different from others.”

At first, her parents were not overly concerned. She was referred to a cardiologist, who explained that she had been born with a heart defect. “I have a condition called restrictive cardiomyopathy,” Hadara explains. “The heart muscle is thicker than normal, which disrupts blood flow and causes shortness of breath. My heart physically takes longer to expand. That’s when I finally understood why I always struggled to breathe while running.”

Choosing a Path

How did you continue functioning after receiving such news?

“Like any normal person,” she says simply. “After high school, at eighteen, most girls in Belgium go to seminaries in the United States or London, and many travel to Israel. A smaller group stays in Belgium to attend university together, so they’re not alone among non-Jews. I chose to study in Israel. At the time, I thought seminary was a waste of time. Today, I regret that decision. I’ve come to understand that it gives tools for life.”

Around that time, Hadara’s sister became engaged, and her wedding was planned for Israel. “I decided to attend the wedding and stay in Israel afterward for my studies,” she says with a small smile. “Man plans, and Hashem laughs.”

The Moment Everything Changed

What do you mean by that?

“A week and a half before my flight, I decided I deserved a short break. I planned a trip with friends to a family vacation home in Knokke, about two hours from Antwerp. Most of my friends canceled because of the heat, so I went alone and met a friend whose family owns the house.

“To get there, I needed two trains. One from Antwerp to Bruges, and another from Bruges to Knokke. I remember buying my ticket, waiting on the platform, and beginning my morning prayers. That’s the last thing I remember.”

The next thing Hadara recalls is waking up connected to machines, struggling to breathe, with severe pain in her ribs, lungs, and chest. Her appearance had changed drastically. “My parents and sister were there,” she says softly. “They looked sad.”

“The events themselves were later told to me, because I don’t remember them,” she explains. “I went into cardiac arrest while boarding the second train. People often confuse cardiac arrest with a heart attack, but cardiac arrest means the heart stops completely, which is far more dangerous.”

Photo: Shutterstock

Saved by a Stranger

Who found you? How were you discovered?

“Passengers pulled me off the train, thinking I had fainted. There was chaos, and no one understood what was happening. Hashem sent someone very special into my life that day. Erwin, the station manager in Bruges, a non-Jew, remembered a CPR course he had taken back in 1994. He had never used it before.”

Rescue forces were called, but Erwin did not give up. “He later told us that when he saw me, I looked lifeless. Because I was near the tracks and needed to be moved before a shock could be given, help took time.”

How long did it take?

“Twenty minutes,” she answers quietly. “In situations like that, every minute matters.”

Erwin continued CPR until emergency responders arrived. “At one point, he felt a faint pulse and shouted, ‘She has a pulse. Don’t give up on her.’”

Awakening and Recovery

Hadara’s next memory is waking up in the intensive care unit, too weak to breathe on her own. Doctors warned her family that she would likely remain in a vegetative state. “My mother stood by my bed, holding my hand, praying endlessly. She begged Hashem for a sign.”

At one point, Hadara squeezed her mother’s hand. “The doctors dismissed it as involuntary movement, but my mother knew better.”

Photo: Shutterstock

How did your parents react when you woke up?

“In the final hours of my coma, my mom held my hand and begged me to respond. When I finally whispered ‘Mom,’ everything changed. That was the beginning of my slow return.”

Despite the grim prognosis, Hadara began to recover. She even wrote a note expressing her desire to leave the hospital. Over the following weeks, her strength returned. She learned to walk again and gradually regained full function. “Nothing is taken for granted anymore,” she says. “Even the simplest movement feels like a gift.”

Choosing Life

“If Hashem wants you here, then you have a purpose,” Hadara reflects. “This journey wasn’t only mine. My family and friends went through it with me.”

Her personal test continued during recovery, when she needed surgery to implant a pacemaker. “It meant I couldn’t attend my sister’s wedding. That was very hard. But three months later, I was finally able to make it to Israel to study.”

Faith That Carries Forward

What gives you strength and faith today?

“My mother,” Hadara answers without hesitation. “Her faith carried me. Seven years later, I’m married, grateful to Hashem, and living a regular, happy life. Surviving cardiac arrest didn’t change me. Working on myself did.

“Life is about choices,” she concludes. “When you’re faced with them, choose life.”