September 19, 2017 a 7.1 earthquake shook Mexico City,
killing 370 people and injuring some 6,000. Dozens of buildings collapsed,
including an elementary/secondary school named for Swiss educator Heinrich
Rebsamen. Reports emerged of a girl still trapped in the school’s rubble. Frida
Sofia had been found using a thermal scanner. She was twelve years old, and
there were others alive with her. She was alert and communicating with her
rescuers. They’d managed to get drinking water to her via a hose while they planned
a safe way to set her free. The world held its collective breath. Then there
were reports that she’d been rescued, with as many as five other children.
Finally, the truth: there WAS no Frida Sofia. It wasn't a lie, exactly. No one
had deliberately concocted or spread untruths. Her story – with all its details
– was the product of a disconnect between reporters and rescue workers, and of
our desperate need for a happy ending.
No comments:
Post a Comment