SADAKO SASAKI

Sadako Sasaki (http://www.johnworldpeace.com/sadako.html)

On April 6, 1945, Japan was struck with one of the worst disasters in history; the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Over the years, estimates of 200,000 people were killed by the bomb. One of the many victims was Sadako Sasaki, my hero. Sadako survived the bombing at the age of two, but ten years later, the radiation of the nuclear bomb called Little Boy, would affect her greatly. Sadako Sasaki is my hero because her determination and courage inspired others to start peace organizations and there is a statue in her memory in the Hiroshima Peace Park in Hiroshima, Japan.

It was 1955, ten years after the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima; Sadako Sasaki was a healthy, active eleven year old girl and the chances of being affected by the bomb radiation weren’t very high. While running, which Sadako had passion for, she felt dizzy and lightheaded. She thought that the feeling was temporary, so she ignored it and didn’t tell anyone, but at a big race, Sadako felt dizzy and fell to the ground.

At the age of eleven, Sadako Sasaki was diagnosed with leukemia and sent to a hospital. During her stay at the hospital, her best friend Chizuko Hamamoto told her a Japanese legend that says if you fold one thousand paper cranes, then you can grant one wish, which in Sadako’s case, was to get better. Then, her best friend folded one paper crane, saying, “Here’s your first one.”

As the months progressed at the hospital, folding cranes became a harder and harder task for Sadako, but she kept on folding them. During her sickness, Sadako’s mother, Fujiko Sasaki gave Sadako a beautiful kimono, (A kimono is a traditional Japanese garment that has wide sleeves and goes down to your ankles) made with the finest silk. Sadako was pleased with the gift and was allowed to go home several days later.

Sadako's statue in Seattle, WA (http://straton.org/)

On October 25, 1955, Sadako Sasaki died surrounded by her family. Sadako folded 644 paper cranes. Her class folded the remaining 366 cranes. Later, a monument of Sadako holding a crane was built in the Hiroshima Peace Park in 1958. Engraved in the monument are the words: “This is our cry; this is our prayer, Peace in the world.” In Seattle, WA another statue of Sadako was built of her holding a paper crane.

Sadako Sasaki is the symbol of the impact of the nuclear war. After her death, a club called “The Paper Crane Club” was started and “The purpose of this club was to help children get together to think and work for peace.” Sadako has inspired me to never give up on my dreams, because she didn’t give up on trying to fold the 1000 paper cranes to get better. Her strength and determination was and still is very inspiring and she will always be known for it.