December 10, 2005: Kechi Was Gone...

I got to the airport building near the departure lounge where most of the parents were gathered. At this point we had all passed from the state of disbelief and shock to thinking, “It's really true, our kids are gone”. We held on to each other. Men were weeping like children. I noticed one particular woman who was talking to the rest of the parents, even as tears were pouring out of her eyes. She was telling us not to mourn like unbelievers and to believe that our children have gone to heaven. I was later to learn that her name was Mary, and two of her children had been inside that aircraft. 

From Mary, I found the courage to try and console some kids that were among us, siblings of the kids on the aircraft, who had come with their parents to the airport to welcome their sisters and brothers. The poor kids were crying, bewildered, wondering if it was true that their siblings were gone. Mostly, the sight of their parents weeping with abandon was probably the most frightening thing they had ever seen in their young lives.

Another woman was kneeling on the ground, wailing into her phone, “Yes, it's true. My angels are gone. Three of them are gone.” A man, who I later identified as her husband was sitting on the ground, weeping. They had three children in Loyola Jesuit College. All three kids had been in that plane.

It was at this point that I remembered to call Uzoma, my friend, who was taking care of Chizitara for me that day. The plan had been for Tara to go to a birthday party with Uzoma's daughter, Kamara, and then when Kechi and I got to Aba, we would pick her up on our way home. I called Uzo and said to her that she would have to keep Tara for some days. I told her I was still at the airport and there had been a plane crash and Kechi was gone.

“Gone where?” Uzo asked me, sounding puzzled.

“Gone to heaven”, I replied “The plane crashed”. When she started to scream, I switched off my phone, knowing she would call back when she calmed down and also knowing that Tara was safe with Uzo, and I did not need to worry about her just then...

To be continued...