JCC 8/10/99

by Maureen

Today, August 10th marks the 10 year anniversary of the day Buford Furrow walked into the North Valley Jewish Community Center and opened fire upon a Jewish children's summer camp program. He then went on to kill a Filipino American postal worker. A sunny August day that became a dark day in history.

Among those that were wounded was my best friends 5 year old son. Her 9 year old son was also there, as well as the 4 year old daughter of another dear friend of mine. All these children referred to me as Auntie Reenie. I was there to hold each of them when they were babies.

Although I was nearly 3000 miles away when the shooting occurred, I felt it to the innermost core of my soul. I immediately flew to Los Angeles and walked into the ICU and saw this precious child, unconscious, with tubes and wounds and tears rolling down his cheeks as he lay there, prone. A miracle by every definition of the word that Ben was even still alive. The paramedic that saved him said good bye to him when he wheeled him into the trauma center...a 19 year veteran thought for sure that was the last time he would ever see Ben.

Ben was always a fighter, from the moment he was born. He was stubborn, obstinate and sometimes even mean. These became his best qualities! It was that stubbornness that kept him alive. And that allowed him to fight back and be the 6'3'' 15 year old he is today! That spirit brought us a 6th birthday for Ben and soon, a 16th birthday will arrive. He still has scars...physical and emotional. 10 years later, he still has nightmares that Furrow is free and coming for him. He still has a limp and still has scars the length of his abdomen, his legs, his side and his back. He still bears a bald spot where a chunk of hair fell out from the meds and laying on it. But he is here. He is thriving as a teenager...causing his parents a delightful amount of teenager problems!! Thank G-D for that.

I still remember the things I saw, the sounds I heard and the tears we all shared as I spent 2 weeks with them, and then another week that October when he turned 6. I can still hear the screams as they turned the pins in his legs. I still hear his sobs when he woke up if his mom or dad weren't in the room. I still see him cry as the physical therapist taught him to walk again. I still hear his 9 year old brother say we don't have to love him because his little brother needs all the love.

All because he was Jewish. Nothing more, nothing less. A neo-nazi that never met Ben or the others he shot and shot only because they were Jewish...or Filipino. He wanted to kill Jews. He tried a few other places before settling on the JCC because the other places had tighter security.

As ten years approach, I have to try and focus on the fact that Ben and Josh and Gabriela are alive. Josh is starting his second year of college in the fall. Ben will be a Jr. in High School. Gabriela is a thriving teenage athlete in both Soccer and Basketball. Award winning! I have to be thankful for those things. I am also thankful for the bond that developed between that paramedic and the family... and me. A man I am so honored to call a friend. A true hero.

It's time...once and for all to end the antisemitism that still exists in this country. The antisemitism that nearly took innocent lives, and profoundly changed their lives. I thank G-D that these 3 children would not let the likes of Buford Furrow keep them down.

I love you Ben, Josh and Gabriela.