Triumph Through Tragedy
"It was amazing how quickly the fire was spreading. There had been no sign of flames when I got out of bed only a minute before. Now they seemed to reach out of the blackness and grab for us. I could see the orange, red and hot white glow through the thick black smoke and felt the stinging on my right arm and upper torso. It was difficult to see, my eyes were burning and it was getting harder and harder to breathe. I started to repeat over and over in my head as if in a chant, you can't stay here, you can't stay here."
Good morning teachers, judges, and fellow students. Today I would like to speak about Triumph through Tragedy.
What you just heard was an actual account of a tragedy that unfolded in a tiny community of North Harbour, St. Mary's Bay, many years ago. In the early morning hours of June 19th, 1980, the Lineman's of North Harbour experienced a harrowing event that changed their lives forever. A tragic house fire destroyed their family home and claimed the lives of five innocent family members. This was the beginning of a long and painful journey for a young woman named Ida, one of the five children to survive the blaze.
At 15, Ida was abruptly forced into adulthood, dealing with not only the loss of her five precious siblings, but also the trauma the fire had inflicted on her body and her mind. Immediately after the fire, Ida was admitted to hospital and treated for very serious burns to many parts of her body, most especially, her right arm. Due to the seriousness of her burns, she had to endure weeks and months of treatment and recovery. She had to undergo a series of specialized treatments and painful procedures, including daily iodine baths and bandage changes, as well as, a number of complicated and risky surgeries such as reconstructive skin grafts. Despite the agony of the entire treatment process, Ida vowed to spare her family of any more pain, and never to quit and never complain. Although doctors did not have much
Good morning teachers, judges, and fellow students. Today I would like to speak about Triumph through Tragedy.
What you just heard was an actual account of a tragedy that unfolded in a tiny community of North Harbour, St. Mary's Bay, many years ago. In the early morning hours of June 19th, 1980, the Lineman's of North Harbour experienced a harrowing event that changed their lives forever. A tragic house fire destroyed their family home and claimed the lives of five innocent family members. This was the beginning of a long and painful journey for a young woman named Ida, one of the five children to survive the blaze.
At 15, Ida was abruptly forced into adulthood, dealing with not only the loss of her five precious siblings, but also the trauma the fire had inflicted on her body and her mind. Immediately after the fire, Ida was admitted to hospital and treated for very serious burns to many parts of her body, most especially, her right arm. Due to the seriousness of her burns, she had to endure weeks and months of treatment and recovery. She had to undergo a series of specialized treatments and painful procedures, including daily iodine baths and bandage changes, as well as, a number of complicated and risky surgeries such as reconstructive skin grafts. Despite the agony of the entire treatment process, Ida vowed to spare her family of any more pain, and never to quit and never complain. Although doctors did not have much