Are You Going to Help Me?
In 1989 an 8.2 earthquake almost flattened Armenia,
killing over 30,000 people in less than four minutes.
In the midst of utter devestation and chaos, a father
left his wife securely at home and rushed to the school
where his son was supposed to be, only to discover that
the building was as flat as a pancake.
After the traumatic initial shock, he remembered the
promise he had made to his son:
"No matter what, I'll always be there for you!"
And the tears began to fill his eyes.
As he looked at the pile of debris that once was
the school, it looked hopeless, but he kept remembering
his commitment to his son.
He began to concentrate on where he walked his son to
class at school each morning. Remembering his son's
classroom would be in the back right corner of the
building, he rushed there and started digging through
the rubble.
As he was digging, other forlorn parents arrived,
clutching their hears saying: "My son!""My daughter!"
Other well meaning parents tried to pull him off of
what was left of the school saying:
"It's too late!"
They're dead!"
You can't help!"
Go home!"
"Come on, face reality, there's nothing you can do!"
"You're just going to make things worse!"
To each parent he responded with one line:
"Are you going to help me now?"
And he proceeded to dig for his son, stone by stone.
The fire chief showed up and tried to pull him off
of the school debris saying "Fires are breaking out,
explosions are happening everywhere. You're in
danger. We'll take care of it. Go home."
To which this loving, caring Armenian father asked,
"Are you going to help me now?"
The police came and said, "You're angry, distraught
and it's over. You're endangering others. Go home.
We'll handle it!" To which he replied,
"Are you going to help me now?" No one helped.
Courageously he proceeded alone because he needed
to know for himself: "Is my boy alive or is he dead?"
He dug for eight hours...12 hours...24 hours...
36 hours...then, in the 38th hour, he pulled back
a boulder and heard his son's voice. He screamed
his son's name, "ARMAND!" He heard back, "Dad!?!
It's me, Dad! I told the other kids not to worry.
I told 'em that if you were alive, you'd save me
and when you saved me, they'd be saved.
You promised, 'No matter what, I'll always be
there for you!' You did it, Dad!"
"What's going on in there? How is it?"
the father asked.
"There are 14 of us left out of 33, Dad.
We're scared, hungry, thirsty and thankful you're here.
When the building collapsed, it made a wedge,
like a triangle and it saved us."
"Come on out, boy!"
"No Dad! Let the other kids out first,
'cause I know you'll get me! No matter what,
I know you'll be there for me!"
Mark V. Hansen
From "Chicken Soup for the Soul"
