Reading in SW4

        It started with flipping through, scanning for stories in Seeing & Writing 4 a book by Donald and Christine McQuade. I stumbled upon a story called “Omayra Sanchez” by Isabel Allende. Isabel Allende is one of Latin America's foremost female writers. Born in Chile, she left her native country after her uncle President Salvador Allende was assassinated. Ten years later after her work was published in the United States, she had gained her success. 

As I was reading “Omayra Sanchez” there was a visual next to it so I connected the story was about the child in the picture. After I did research, I was shocked how it connected. On 1985, after the eruption of Nevado del Ruiz volcano in Colombia, Omayra Sánchez this 13 year old girl was found trapped among the debris of her house. Only her face sticking out of the mud. She could not be lifted without having her legs amputated, but there was no surgery team available and there was no water pump to clear the area around her. She waited bravely sending love messages to her mom and talking about going back to school. On the third day she passed away without having been able to accomplish the simple task of saving one brave little girl. Allende reminisces and expresses her feelings about Omayra. The author Allende says “for a year I have been at her bedside and of ten the memory of Omayra comes to me, she has never quite left me really. She will always be with me, she reminds me of how fragile life is.” It just goes to show how deep of an impact this poor girl has as well as the pain she experienced.

This story truly touched me. The pain and suffering this young girl went through. The whole three days all she did was talk about how much she loved her mom and going back to school. If I was to much myself in her shoes, mentally I don’t think I could of handled it. The courage Omayra had is unlike anything I heard of. When you read stories like this it helps you greater appreciate life and to throw the petty things out the window. The little things that upset you or that you have to do against your will should be forgotten about. There’s always someone out there going through much worse and they’re just appreciating that they’re living. Isabella Allende did a phenomenal job describing the story. She informs us about Omayra but at the same time writes about her as if she was a adjective, giving her such honor. For an example Allende writes “She never dies, this girl. She never dies. She’s born every instant.” In the line I interoperate it as “her meaning will forever live on and when we think of honor and courage she’s born.” Imagine being trapped, all alone, agonizing pain in your legs, knowing your possibly not going to make it, could you honestly handle it while keeping a positive mind set? Omayra Sanchez’s story and life should forever carry on.

Omayra Sánchez August 28, 1972 - November 16, 1985