Stolen Son: How a hostage mother never gave up trying to save her son

Published: Sep 01, 2024 Duration: 00:05:12 Category: News & Politics

Tags : NBC News
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TODAY IS DAY 27. HERSHEY'S STILL NOT HOME. 52 75 86. TODAY IS DAY 100 SINCE MY SON WAS STOLEN FROM ME. IT'S SAD TO BE KNOWN FOR SOMETHING REALLY PAINFUL AND REALLY SCARY. AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN THEY SEE ME. EVERY TIME WE SPOKE TO ANYONE IN THE MEDIA, THEY WOULD SAY, HOW MANY DAYS HAS IT BEEN? SO I JUST TOOK MASKING TAPE AND STARTED TO MAKE THESE NUMBERS AND IT MAKES PEOPLE REALLY ASK HOW ARE WE ALLOWING THIS TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN? THE HOSTAGE FAMILIES HAVE TO PRETEND TO BE NORMAL IF WE WANT TO FUNCTION AND IF WE WANT TO SAVE THEM FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, I ALWAYS SAY TO MYSELF AND NOW PRETEND TO BE HUMAN AND I GET OUT OF BED AND I PUT ON THIS COSTUME OF BEING A PERSON. I HAVE A WALK THAT I DO NOW IN THE MORNINGS THAT I'VE CRAFTED SO THAT I DON'T SEE ANYBODY AND I WALK WITH MY HEAD DOWN AND I ALWAYS WEAR SUNGLASSES. I OFTEN HAVE A HOOD. IF I SEE PEOPLE IN THE DISTANCE, I CROSS TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET. AND ALL DAY LONG, IT'S KIND OF LIKE SOMEONE'S HOLDING A BRANDING IRON ON YOUR BACK AND YOU CAN'T LET ANYBODY KNOW. I WAS ASKED EARLY ON IF I WOULD SPEAK AT THE UNITED NATIONS IN NEW YORK. AND SO I DID, WHY IS NO ONE CRYING OUT FOR THESE PEOPLE TO BE ALLOWED ACCESS TO THE RED CROSS? WHY IS NO ONE DEMANDING JUST PROOF OF LIFE? WE FELT THAT THE ADVOCACY FOR THE HOSTAGE SITUATION WAS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE REALLY NEVER WANTED TO SAY NO FOR I'VE HAD EPISODES WHERE I DO BREAK. IT'S BETTER WHEN I KNOW THAT IT'S COMING AND I CAN, YOU KNOW, SAY I'LL BE RIGHT BACK AND YOU KNOW, GO TO MY ROOM OR GO TO THE BATHROOM OR GO SOMEWHERE WHERE IT'S NOT SO PUBLIC, BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY TRAUMA WORKS. SO THERE ARE DEFINITELY TIMES WHERE I'M OUT THERE SCREAMING OR CRYING OR LAYING ON THE STREET. THINK YOU OUT. I'M ALSO EXTREMELY HEARTBROKEN OVER THE UNBELIEVABLE SUFFERING OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT GAZAN PEOPLE, WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH. IT'S UNBEARABLE AND SO PAINFUL TO WATCH. RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SUFFERING IN THIS ON BOTH SIDES AND IT'S TIME FOR THE SUFFERING TO STOP THAT. ON SHABBAT MORNING, I SIT DOWN CROSS LEG RIGHT IN FRONT OF THIS BIG POSTER THAT WE HAVE OF HIM THAT IS BEHIND OUR FRONT DOOR. I LOOK INTO HIS EYES AND I TALK TO HIM AND I TELL HIM YOU HAVE TO STAY STRONG, MENTALLY, SPIRITUALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY, PHYSICALLY, RELIGIOUSLY, YOU HAVE TO SURVIVE. YOU HAVE NO CHOICE. WE ARE COMING. YOU CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THIS AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A LONG, BEAUTIFUL LIFE.

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