Aaron Bushnell, a member of the United States Air Force who died after self-immolating in defense of Palestine, wrote a final will letter to his coworkers.
In the will letter, Bushnell requested that all his assets and savings be donated to the Palestinian Children’s Aid Fund.
In addition to donating his savings for Palestinian children, in his will letter, Bushnell also requested that his ashes be scattered in Palestine.
“Bushnell planned this quite carefully. He wrote a will letter, and he stipulated that his savings should be donated to Palestinian children,” explained Bushnell’s coworker quoted by NPR.
The letter was written by Bushnell just before the 25-year-old man self-immolated in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington DC on Sunday (02/25/2024).
Bushnell’s Self-Immolation Broadcasted on Twitch
The act became viral on several social media platforms because Bushnell’s self-immolation was broadcasted live on Twitch.
In the short video, Bushnell repeatedly shouted the phrase “Free Palestine.”
Before Secret Service agents extinguished the fire burning Aaron Bushnell’s body and evacuated the pilot of the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing of the US Air Force to the hospital.
Unfortunately, after receiving intensive care, the hospital gave up, declaring that Aaron Bushnell had died from the burns he sustained.
This action was carried out by Bushnell as a form of protest against the genocide committed by Israel and Washington’s support for Tel Aviv, which resulted in the deaths of 30,000 Gaza residents.
Bushnell Becomes a Figure Opposing the Gaza Conflict
After the viral self-immolation act of Aaron Bushnell, the Metropolitan Police Department finally spoke out.
In its official statement, the Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that Bushnell had been an active member of the US Air Force since May 2020.
Bushnell himself served in the specialization of cyber defense operations in the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing (ISR).
Before his death, several coworkers and friends described Aaron Bushnell as a vocal opponent of the genocide committed by Israel.
Bushnell even openly displayed the Palestinian flag on his social media profile as a form of support for the Gaza population.
Meanwhile, his loved ones described Aaron as a source of strength and happiness.
An online post remembered him as an extraordinarily gentle, kind, and loving person.
Not the First Time
According to HuffPost, this type of self-immolation is not the first time it has occurred in America.
Previously, last December, a protester self-immolated in front of the Israeli consulate in the state of Georgia, USA.
He died carrying a Palestinian flag found at the scene.
Then, in 2022, climate activist Wynn Alan Bruce self-immolated in front of the Supreme Court.
Some people in the US view self-immolation as a form of protest and sacrifice.
Meanwhile, according to Temple University history professor Ralph Young, self-immolation is seen as a form of despair.
Although there is no guarantee that this action will achieve the desired impact, it has succeeded in achieving results that cannot be achieved by other forms of protest.
