Arnold Nesis. posing with the guitar he received from a generous stranger about 15 years ago. Photo: Screenshot.

An Israeli musician is asking social media users to help him find the person who gave him a guitar 15 years ago and changed his life forever.

Arnold Nesis, from Jerusalem, posted a video on his Facebook page on Sunday asking people to help him find his “angel of music.”

Sometime between 1999-2000, Nesis, who was 15 at the time, had a dream of becoming a guitar player. He said his parents did not support the idea and refused to buy him an instrument or pay for lessons. The teenager turned to eBay and sent messages to a few auctioneers selling guitars.

“I am a poor boy from Israel who needs a guitar,” Nesis wrote. “And if you are not going to use this guitar and can’t sell it, please send it to me.”

After sending out about 20 messages, he received a response.

Nesis recalled: “To my surprise, someone replied and sent me, ‘Hi, I’m a Jew, too. This is my present for you for Hanukkah.’ He sent the guitar all the way from the US, and paid for the shipping as well… which was something like $200.”

The gift-giver sent Nesis an Ibanez X Explorer Destroyer X made in 1983. The back of the guitar has the name “Bill Doran” carved into it.

Nesis, who is now a professional guitar player and composer, said he still possesses that first guitar, and could not bring himself to sell it, even when he was short on money. He said that “things are going well” in terms of his success as a musician, and he owes it to the generous donor.

“Not to sound too dramatic, but my dream from 12 years ago came true, and it’s all thanks to this person,” Nesis said. “Looking back, I honestly don’t know if I would be a musician today if it wasn’t for this guitar… [The person who gave it to me] changed my life [and] helped to make my dream come true.”

The computer Nesis used as a teenager died, and the man’s name and address got lost. All he remembers is that the person is from the United States and owned a pawn shop.

“I want to find him, and at least repay him for the guitar and the shipping, and talk to an awesome guy — show him what his gift did to me,” Nesis said. “I am hoping that this is something Facebook can help with, and what makes Facebook a wonderful thing.”

He added, “I think it would be so cool if after 15 years he can see what it did; that this gesture actually changed somebody’s life.”

Nesis noted that the man he is looking for probably remembers him by the name Arik or Eric Nesis.