Last week, UNK students and community members got a firsthand look at the human cost of war. Lopers 4 Peace welcomed Wilhelmi Massay to campus to share his experiences in Gaza.
Massay, a critical care ICU nurse from Omaha who’s traveled to Gaza twice since July 2024, hoped to give attendees “non-political insights” of what is going on in Gaza.
“This is a devastation beyond comprehension,” Massay said.
Born in Tanzania, Massay moved to the United States 21 years ago with hopes of becoming a Catholic priest. When that path did not work out, he joined the U.S. Air Force, serving 15 years and rising to the rank of captain. He later turned to nursing and eventually joined a medical team of three surgeons and one anesthesiologist on a mission to Gaza.
During his time there, Massay said most of his cases involved women and children injured by gunfire, quadcopters and bombs. He described major shortages of space, supplies and food that made his job even harder.
During his presentation, Massay described the constant danger of working in Gaza through photos, videos and stories.
“When I was in Gaza, they bombed about 300 meters from the hospital,” Massay said. “Your heart drops and the Earth moves.”
The mental and emotional toll, Massay said, was just as severe.
“The mental health crisis in Gaza is catastrophic,” Massay said. “They just sit there all day not knowing what to do.”
While Massay acknowledged the images and stories were heavy, he emphasized hope and action.
“Peace is possible, that’s my hope,” Massay said. “Please educate yourself, read books and learn about the history.”
Lopers 4 Peace members said bringing Massay to Kearney was about more than just hosting a guest speaker.
William Avilez, a political science professor and faculty adviser for the club, said they wanted to give people a first-hand perspective.
“We want people to have a clear idea of the cost that Palestinian people have been paying from the war,” Avilez said.
The club, formed earlier this semester, aims to advance peace and bring light to situations happening in the world.
Club President Juliana Merrihew, a junior political science major, said the issue is one that students already encounter daily online.
“This is an issue all over social media,” Merrihew said. “We are constantly seeing it. It’s such a big crisis, something we all should be educated on.”
Members want the people of Kearney and other rural areas to connect to global issues.
“In more rural communities, it can be hard to connect to issues like this,” said Emma Risinger, a sophomore political science major. “We hope this gives people a better perspective of what’s actually going on over there.”
Treasurer Ava Lindstrom, a junior political science major, said that a firsthand encounter was especially helpful.
“There’s so many opinions about it,” Lindstrom said. “Having someone like Nurse Massay here who actually experienced it, it’s really valuable.”
Lopers 4 Peace leaders said they plan to continue hosting events and speakers to build awareness about international humanitarian issues. For students and community members in attendance, the event offered a look into the realities of war and a reminder of the hope that still exists.
