Ester Cunio, 90, was faced with a nightmare on the tragic morning of October 7, when armed intruders invaded her home in the Israeli Kibbutz Nir Oz. Ester was terrified that she might get kidnapped and transported to Gaza, along with eight other members of her family. But one word, the first mention of Lionel Messi’s name, turned the entire situation around.
UHN Plus, a Spanish media outlet, shared the story on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, the post read, “A 90-year-old Argentine woman avoided being kidnapped by Hamas members in Israel thanks to mentioning Messi, which led one of the attackers to take a photo with her and then leave.”
A 90-year-old Argentine woman avoided being kidnapped by Hamas members in Israel thanks to mentioning Messi, which led one of the attackers to take a photo with her and then leave.
The woman said: "I'm from where Messi is from…" Then the attacker took a photo with her and… pic.twitter.com/I4n32WeRap
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) March 7, 2024
According to MARCA, Cunio said, “I speak Argentinean Spanish, so he asks what Argentina is. Then I tell him, ‘Do you watch football?’ He said he liked it and I told him I am from Messi’s country. He was surprised and told me he loves Messi. He put his arm on my shoulder, gave me his gun, he made me do the peace sign and they snapped the picture.”
Cunio is grateful to Messi for unknowingly saving her life, but she also hopes the Argentinean star would help her grandchildren.
