For 38 minutes his world stood still. He asked questions his Mom & Dad had no answers for. He cried. He shook…but oh was he brave.
We were SCARED.
Was this it? What will it feel like? When will it hit?
He and his sweet family came running into our cafe in Hawaii just after the alert came through…
“BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”
For what seemed like a life time we all didn’t know what to do, where to go. Hurried phone calls to loved ones went out and then we sat there. Trying to distract ourselves and hoping the ALL CLEAR would come. 38 minutes later it did.
As we all breathed a sigh of relief, I saw this brave boy come from the dark hallway where he had been hiding. He walked quietly though the cafe and found a table to sit by himself. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he said over and over to himself…”I’m alive. I’m alive. I’m alive.”
No words came to me, but my Momma heart broke for him. Finally words came out and I told him he was safe.
After a few more minutes it dawned on me…He and his family were the models for our morning session. Just an hour after we all received that horrifying alert they decided to stay and move forward with their session. I am SO glad they did!
They embraced. They danced. They loved. They cried.
Thank you Kari for sharing your family with us. Emotions don’t get more real than the ones we all shared that morning.
Forever etched in my heart.
XO -Kristen
