RY POTTER STAR’S MOVIE
again. Now a technology entrepreneur, Yossi tried to turn his story into a Hollywood movie in the 1990s with Emilio Estevez in the lead role – but the venture fell through. So he was thrilled when Daniel signed up... even if he wasn’t entirely convinced by his accent.
Yossi, who splits his time between Australia, Israel and the US, added: “Once Daniel was on board he did a lot of work talking to me and trying to get into my head, into my young head, trying to figure out how I was at that time.
“His level of commitment was brilliant. He did a lot to be like me.
TURMOIL
“It was surreal seeing Daniel as me. But I didn’t feel it was me. It was very loyal to what I went through. It was a very good interpretation of me but it wasn’t eerie.
“While other people can appreciate his Israeli accent, I couldn’t see it myself in his voice.
“He’s doing a great version of me and I’m very honoured he plays me.” Moviegoers will see Daniel cut a parasite out of his own head during his jungle turmoil.
Reliving the moment, Yossi said: “I was injured, all my body was cut and my cuts were open because, as I was wet day and night, nothing would heal. The bugs got in, some bit you and others laid larvae under the skin. So I had worms within.
“They were under my skin and I was in excruciating pain.
“The worst thing were my feet. They were wet so fungal infection was spreading.
“Walking all day with wet, muddy socks rubbed the skin off and I had no skin left on my feet.
“They were chunks of raw flesh. But I couldn’t stop walking, I had to keep going. Dying wasn’t an option.” On the seventeenth day of his plight, Yossi’s spirit broke and he conceded defeat – only for a “miracle” to happen.
He explained: “An aeroplane passed and I had a surge of hope. “I thought if they saw me it would all be over. They couldn’t see me. I collapsed and started crying. I prayed and gave up.
“Then I had this miracle. A young woman suddenly appeared next to me in the mud. I believed her to be real.
“For two days I took care of her and made her a place to sleep. I gathered branches and covered her.
“I talked to her as if she was a real person. Imagination played a huge role in my survival.
“So if she was my imagination, it was a coping mechanism. I wouldn’t do it for myself but I’d do it for her. That’s what saved my life.” It was four days later that Yossi was eventually rescued. Now a married father-of-four, he travels the world doing motivational talks.
He has no regrets about going on the trip – and has travelled back to the rainforest he was once lost in.
But he still feels guilt over the loss of his friend Marcus, adding: “That still is the deepest part of the story, it’s my own shadow.
“I wasn’t there for my best friend in the moment he needed me the most. I’ve had existential trauma.
“I feel that I experienced interventions and miracles so I had questions.
“Like, ‘Why me?’. It created a different path.
“My life became a life of enquiry, travel, of spiritual quests. In a way it was a blessing, I wouldn’t trade it.
“If it wasn’t for this, I would probably be an advertising executive in Tel Aviv. That was the career I envisaged for myself. I’m happy that my life took this turn.” ■■■Jungle is in cinemas from October 20.
All my body was cut, the bugs laid larvae in me... it was excruciating SURVIVOR YOSSI ON HIS THREE-WEEK JUNGLE HELL