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desperation on his wrist . The small child couldn ’ t run far or fast , but his mother tugged on his wrist to keep him in step . They ran all night through the unknowns of the woods .
They could only travel at night because they risked exposure in the daylight . The children ’ s bellies empty , and bodies exhausted from running , resting , and sleeping against the earth , their parents hoped to find a safe village to stay in . Days or weeks would pass before they ’ d happen upon a village . But as they approached each one , the distinct smell of death filled the air , and they knew the rebels weren ’ t far gone . Even though the villages had already been ravaged , the elders , who were too ill to flee themselves , would tell them it wasn ’ t safe to stay because the rebels promised to return .
Decaying and burnt bodies on the grounds of villages , starvation and endless running , and hopeless attempts to find safety are some of Henry Tucker ’ s earliest memories . Sadly , they aren ’ t his worst .
Henry ’ s family eventually made it to a refugee camp where there was still very little food to be had and the living conditions were inadequate . The homes were more like huts , and were often riddled with openings so they didn ’ t do much to protect from the elements . Due to the limited availability of water , basic sanitation needs weren ’ t met . The large number of people meant the camp fostered a lot of disease and illnesses . His father became very sick while there and eventually called Henry ’ s uncle for help .
Henry ’ s father was at a point where he had to make an incredibly difficult decision . He was sure he was on his death bed , so he had to give his children the best chance possible for survival . He asked his brother to take his two youngest children , Henry and his sister , and care for them . Henry ’ s mother stayed with his father to take care of him .
The children found some peace in their new home with their aunt , uncle , and cousins . They were able to rest , eat , and even enjoy a brief time of just being kids . It wasn ’ t long before that ended . The familiar sounds of gunfire pierced the soul of that small boy – Henry knew just what was coming .
In all those villages that Henry had passed through , he ’ d learned that when the rebels came , they took men and boys as soldiers , young girls as their wives , looted homes , then locked whoever wasn ’ t of use inside the home and set it ablaze . Then they ’ d watch until it burned to the ground . Since the town his uncle ’ s home was in had not yet been subject to the war , Henry ’ s aunt and uncle didn ’ t have experience with the rebels or the terror they brought with them . Instead of fleeing , Henry ’ s uncle decided the family would stay and try to hide inside their home .
32 HACHEALTHCLUB . COM
NATIVE LANGUAGE Although English is the official language of the country , many families speak Krio , which is somehwat similar to creole .
Decaying and burnt bodies on the grounds of villages , starvation and endless running , and hopeless attempts to find safety are some of Henry Tucker ’ s earliest memories .
As the gun shots became louder , Henry ’ s family stopped using lights , moving in front of windows , and speaking to avoid detection . Eventually , they could hear the rebels looting their neighbors ’ homes . Each moment felt like an eternity – Would they break down the door ? Would they set the home on fire with no warning ? Henry ’ s body tensed as the rebels pounded the door . They yelled into the home , their voices booming and terrorizing : “ Anyone in there – come out .”
His older cousin stepped outside , being careful not to expose his family . They asked who else lived in the home and demanded that everyone come out to face them . Terrified of what might happen to him if he was caught lying , the family complied and brought everyone out of the house .
Henry , now 6 or 7 years old , stared up the hollow end of a rifle barrel , the phrase “ WE ’ RE GOING TO KILL YOU ALL !” ringing in his ears . The rebels paced around them as intermittent instructions came through from their commander . Henry ’ s family begged for their lives . They pleaded and assured them they had nothing of value , but as Henry feared , the rebels took the men . Then , the words Henry feared most – “ Get back into the house .”
The subdued tone from their once-shouting voices made him fear the worst . He ’ d heard that phrase before and knew it ended in flames .
Back inside , he could hear the men shouting again . He waited to smell fire , to feel the heat . He listened to the shouting and footsteps of the rebels become more and more distant .
By some miracle , the rebels decided not to set the home on fire and marched on with the men from his
SHORT SLEEVE OR LONG SLEEVE In Freetown , Sierra Leone , the war became “ very political ” after the initial retreat , Henry recalled . “ They ’ d [ the government ] tell us the power was in our hands . Meaning our votes . To keep people from voting , the rebels would ask people ‘ shortsleeve ’ or ‘ longsleeve .’ They were asking people where they ’ d rather have their arm severed .”
Mariatu Kamara , a survivor of the war and just two years older than Henry , had both of her hands cut off . She talks about her experiences in her book , The Bite of the Mango .
BLOOD DIAMOND The 2006 movie starring Djimon Hounsou and Leonardo DiCaprio was set during the Sierra Lione Civil War .