A casualty of Kenya's terrorist bomb attack says a prayer at a commemorative plaque in Nairobi on the eighth anniversary of the bomings in Kenya and Tanzania in 2006.
TONY KARUMBA/AFP/Getty ImagesI'm going to turn it over to producer Douglas Hopper. He's been blogging from Mexico City where he's attending the International AIDS Conference. But before I do ...
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and survivors of the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. Edith Bartley, whose father and brother were among the 12 Americans killed in Nairobi came in to tell us how she is doing. We were also in contact with Ellen Bomer, whose courageous fight to master her loss of sight was the subject of an ABC News "Nightline" program some years ago.
We had hoped to visit with Ellen also, but we didn't catch up with her until it was too late. But it's gratifying to know that she's still so much on the go ten years after suffering such devastating injuries.
We also want to acknowledge the thousands of Kenyan and Tanzanians who were hurt in those attacks, many of whom lost limbs and sight. If anybody wants to doubt the willingness of al-Qaida to kill and maim innocent people, look no further than the thousands of young people who were blown up for the crime of working in a bank or trying to cash a check, or going to secretarial school in a building next door to an American Embassy.
I was there. I got to Nairobi about a day after the bombings, and I remember.
Take it away Douglass. What have you got?
categories: More on World Culture
Comments
Please note that all comments must adhere to the NPR.org discussion rules and terms of use. See also the Community FAQ.
You must be logged in to leave a comment. Login | Register
More information needed to participate in the NPR online community.. Add this information