BOSNIA

SELMA HANDZAR, Bosnian war survivor, September 17, 2007
CZIKOWSKY: Your story is remarkable and I admire the courage you had in dealing with adjusting your life and in handling your teasing peers. What were some of the most difficult aspects of the aftermath of your tragedy that you had to deal with, and how did the develop the ability to overcome them?
HANDZAR: Thank you for your wonderful words. There were many difficult moments after the bombing, but a few stick out the most. My father was not allowed to leave the country, so my mom, brother, and I left alone. Not knowing where we were going, not speaking the language were just a couple of hurdles that we had to jump. I mentioned in my article about the flashbacks, and that was actually very common for me for the first two years after leaving Bosnia. The main way I overcame these hard times in my life was my family supporting me. Even when I would get upset that I didn’t have an arm, my mom would not help me…she was my rock. She pushed me until I was able to tie my own shoes. That’s what did it. It was my family support.