So by now everyone in the world knows whats been happening in my home town of Christchurch as of 1.30pm yesterday afternoon it has been in ruins and utter chaos. A violent earthquake struck and has destroyed families, homes, businesses, lives have been lost and and even the heart of the city has been ripped away from us as the iconic Christchurch cathedral fell apart :(
What is even more scary is I just about lost my younger brother. It is a miracle that for once in his life he was running late for his bus and only just escaped being killed by falling masonry from a building his original bus had fall on it, killing its passengers :( My brother caught the one after it and has been so lucky someone was definitely watching over him. He only missed his bus my a minute or two, but hell is he grateful and so are we!
What upsets me more is the poor kid had to watch a woman whom was about our mothers age be killed instantly from falling masonry in Cathedral Square. Its not something anyone should have to deal with and for someone like my brother who doesnt talk openly about his feelings etc i cant even begin to imagine whats going on in his head. Him and I dont really get along but my god i was so relieved to hear his voice yesterday and find that even though he was in the square he was ok. I know he is no doubt traumatised after what ive heard from my mother and from what she said he is like & it makes my heart ache that i couldnt protect him from everything yesterday. Because even though we dont see eye to eye when he was younger I protected him & i love him so much. The poor kid has had to witness things no-one should ever have to witness and things mum and i had protected him from in the past :( I feel so helpless!
Although my brother is also a hero, i was informed today by my mother that he saved a man in a wheelchair from having a building fall on him while in the street. For that I am so proud of him. In something so tragic it seems my brother may have matured instantly!
My brother and I managed to get him via text & twitter (thank you social media) to mums place who was completely freaking out, she cant stand earthquakes. Never has ever since I can remember.
Sadly my mother this evening now has to risk her life to get from one end of the city to the other with permission from Civil Defense to get to her work as shes a nurse and needs to care for her patients etc. So now I sit and wait and hope nothing happens on her trip to work. I also hope her patients are doing ok and are not too distressed and that her buildings are safe, as some of the retirement villages/rest homes are majorly damaged etc.
I am heart broken at all the images of my amazing city in ruins, the people i love aching for missing and loved ones, and also just broken waiting to hear news on other friends whom i love so dearly.
sadly my city will never be the same again and for that i will always be upset. But i am truly grateful so many are alive and being rescued. I am grateful for the amazing messages from my friends & family all over the world... I love you all dearly and am totally grateful to/for you... ♥
I leave you with this poem written for Christchurch....and state that no matter what I am proud to be a cantab!
Roses are red, the chalice is blue
The cathedral has fallen, many buildings have too;
You can rattle our bones, you can rip streets apart
But you will never defeat our red and black hearts.
For we are cantabrians and together we know,
...We stand tall together, through anything we regrow.
Add to your wall to remember those who have fallen and to remind us all to stand tall.
22/02/2011
