We had the absolute privilege to speak with Ms. Shigeko Sasamori, an atomic bomb survivor, about her experience. During the interview, Sasamori san’s presence felt comforting and safe. Her voice was very friendly and patient, but her assertive spirit was very much palpable. With much compassion, Sasamori-san began her story: 

On August 6th, 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima city killing almost 140,000 people. Sasamori-san vividly remembers watching an airplane fly overhead moments before the atomic bomb engulfed the entire city. Once she awoke, nothing was the same. Horrified civilians crowded in rivers and panicked at the sight of their wounded bodies. It was as if in one second she watched her hometown collapse and burn to ashes. After finding refuge in an elementary school, Sasamori-san continued to repeat her name and address, hoping to reunite with her parents. The horrible impacts of the bomb covered her with severe burns. Several years later, Sasamori-san passionately joined the organization “Hiroshima Maidens” and raised money for injured women, including herself, who were victims of the Hiroshima bombing. These 25 women all experienced similar lives following the war, and they were treated very differently because of their physical appearance. Therefore, Sasamori-san and the 25 maidens traveled to the United States for Kleiod surgery.

After hearing about Sasamori-san’s experience as an atomic bomb survivor, we felt very grateful to live in a peaceful era and learn about the horrendous circumstances of war. Sasamori-san stated, "You can do many things when you're young, which is wonderful. On the other side, war is terrible. I'm hoping the younger generation will spread the knowledge about how terrible nuclear weapons' effects are. A peaceful world is something we can strive for if we cooperate."