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April 20, 2005
Marla Ruzicka
"We are helping lots of kids with medical care -- this place continues to break my heart -- need to get out of here -- but hard!" ---Marla Ruzicka, from an email to a friend sent on the day of her death
Catching up on email this morning, which I've neglected for the last few days, I came upon some depressing news. An email from my sister informed me that her friend Marla Ruzicka had been killed in Iraq.
Over the last few days I'd heard on the news, and even discussed with friends, the story of a humanitarian aid worker who died at the hands of a suicide bomber. But until this morning I had not put two and two together and realized that this individual was a friend of our family.
Marla and my sister lived together on a coffee cooperative in Machakos, Kenya in 1997. That year, when my family traveled to Kenya to spend the holidays with my sister, I had the pleasure of meeting her. She definitely stood out among the other students. Talking and joking with her on our first night in Kenya, it was clear that although we came from opposite ends of the political spectrum, there was no doubting her passion and determination to make this world a better place for the unfortunate. Reading over her amazing accomplishments since I've seen her last, it's clear she transformed that passion into a reality.
If you have not done so yet read some of the tributes to her life at Slate, CNN, the WSJ, and Sen. Leahy's speech on the Senate floor.
Her parents are also also asking for donations to her organization, Civic Worldwide, in her memory to keep her work going.
My condolences go out to her family, friends, and all those whose lives were touched by this amazing individual.
Update: Tom Palmer links to another CNN story that is really worth a read and will bring tears to your eyes.
Posted by Peter Mork at April 20, 2005 1:19 PM
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