FGCU employee’s grandson killed by attacks in Israel; mother speaks out

Last week, the grandson of a Florida Gulf Coast University employee was killed during the Hamas attacks in Israel; now his mother is sharing her grief about her loss.

Itai Bausi’s mother said her son died a hero.

She said instead of saving himself, he ran toward the terror to help others under attack.

On Friday, she talked for the first time after mourning her son for seven days after his burial.

Itai was killed, along with at least 260 others, by Hamas terrorists while attending a music festival in southern Israel near the Gaza border almost two weeks ago.

Itai was the grandson of Mark Farron, who works at FGCU.

WINK News spoke to Farron and Itai’s mother, Juliana Bausi, from their home in Israel.

She shared what it is like with helicopters flying overhead and with the war raging on.

She said that all the men had left in their town to fight against Hamas, and her son would have been one of them.

“He died helping people. There are videos, I haven’t been able to watch any of them, but there were people that came to the house and said, ‘Your son was telling the police there what to do, you know. He’s been very well trained, under really crazy circumstances to operate and stay cool,'” Bausi said.

Bausi’s father flew to Israel from Fort Myers to be there for his family.

WINK asked if he plans to return to Fort Myers.

Juliana said they are “playing it by ear.” They aren’t sure exactly when Farron will return to the U.S.