Sergei Shavchuk

October 21, 2002 - Sergei Shavchuk, 35, of Afula, was one of 14 persons killed when a bus was blown up in a suicide attack by a terrorist driving an explosives-laden jeep near the Karkur junction.

Sergei was on the bus home from his work in Tiberias and should have gotten off in Afula. But for some reason, he did not get off the bus when it stopped there for 10 minutes, and was killed shortly afterward when the bus reached the Karkur junction. His family believes he must have fallen asleep.

Shavchuk immigrated to Israel from Ukraine with his wife, Alexandra, over seven years ago. Their son, Alex, celebrated his seventh birthday on Thursday, October 24, without his father, who had promised to bring him balloons and a cake.

An only child, Sergei's elderly parents live in Ukraine and his body was flown there for burial. His wife said, "I still have a son. His parents have nothing, so I felt they should at least have a grave."