John Ondrasik, the Grammy-nominated lead singer-songwriter of the band Five For Fighting, turned his hit song “Superman (It’s Not Easy),” which became an anthem for first responders after 9/11, into a moving tribute to 24-year-old Alon Ohel and the 58 hostages still held by Hamas since the October 7th attacks.
In the powerful four-minute video, Ondrasik sings the anthem with some updated lyrics, while Alon’s brother Ronen, his mother Idit Ohel, and friends gather round Hostage Square, in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Ondrasik turns the original lyrics: “Find a way to lie, ’bout a home I’ll never see” into: “Find a way to fly to a home I will soon see”
“The boundless spiritual fortitude of the hostages and their families is beyond words,” John Ondrasik said in a statement. “It felt right to change the lyric, to honor their strength and to remind the world, they are still there. We cannot forget them.”
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“Testimonies from released hostages confirm Alon is suffering severe mistreatment and requires urgent medical care,” the statement says. “The video serves as both a reminder and a demand—a call to the world to stand up, speak out, and never forget those still in captivity.”
“The strength and perseverance of the hostage families, while enduring over seventeen months of unimaginable torment and devastation, often seems superhuman,” says Ondrasik. “I am honored to collaborate with Alon’s family and friends on this version of ‘Superman.’ May they all come home soon.”
The Los Angeles native has tirelessly used his voice a platform to shine light on the hostages still held by Hamas. Last October he released a new song, “Song for the Hostages,” and launched a yellow ribbon campaign to renew awareness about those being held in captivity.
Ondrasik, who is not Jewish and doesn’t have family in Israel, has performed several times in Israel since the terror attacks. He told a Tel Aviv audience last April: “One doesn’t have to be Jewish to support Israel in their fight — sorry, our fight — for freedom, democracy, life, civilization, against those who want to tear it down.”
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