BROOKHAVEN, Ga. — It was the news that a Sandy Springs family had been dreading to hear – their loved one who was missing following the deadly bombing at an Israeli music festival was found dead on Wednesday.
Channel 2′s Michael Seiden spoke to Daniel Zaken of Brookhaven during Channel 2 Action News at 5 p.m. on Tuesday as his family has been trying to get in contact with their first cousin, Jonathan Rom, 23, a dual American-Israeli citizen, since Saturday’s attack by Hamas.
The attack killed hundreds at Israel’s Nova Music Festival. Dozens more were taken hostage.
“He’s not listed in any hospitals,” Zaken said. “Our hope is he is still alive and hiding somewhere.”
But that wasn’t the case. The family confirmed Wednesday that Rom’s body was found near the festival site.
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Zaken says he and his family were on a cruise headed to Israel to see his cousin and other family and friends when they learned about the attack.
“He was helping this girl who was having a panic attack escape,” he added. “They entered a vehicle together and started driving off and they sustained a bunch of gunfire from Hamas. They got out of the vehicle and started running.”
Zaken said Rom was born in South Carolina, but eventually moved to Israel where he grew up before joining the Israel Defense Forces.
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