Gershon "Gigi" Peres, the younger brother of President Shimon Peres, died of a fatal illness on Monday. He was 85. The 88-year-old president was able to bid his brother a final farewell. Early on Monday he arrived at Tel Aviv's Ichilov hospital, where his brother was hospitalized due to serious illness. When doctors indicated that all Gershon Peres' organs were on the brink of failure, the president warmly hugged his brother, kissed his forehead and said goodbye one last time. Gershon Peres was a professional building contractor who dearly loved his older brother. He lost his own son, Uzi, in a tragic plane crash over the Himalayas in 1992. After his brother passed away, the president grew quiet and reflective. He instructed his aides to cancel his scheduled appointments for the next few days, saying, "I have lost many of my loved ones. This has been a difficult year." In January, the president lost his wife Sonia, who died in her Tel Aviv home at the age of 87. That death was especially difficult for Shimon Peres and constituted a significant shock. Over the past year, the president has lost many other close friends, including retired senior defense official Haim Israel and Israel Aircraft Industries founder Al Schwimmer. The president's office issued an official statement on Tuesday announcing the passing of the president's brother "with great sorrow." Gershon Peres' funeral will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Kiryat Shaul cemetery. Family and friends will attend to pay their final respects, but media will not be present at the family's request.
