One of Us: The Death of Marla Ruzicka
Posted by: James Hathaway
CNN.com - Humanitarian group founder killed in Iraq - Apr 17, 2005
About a year ago I was in Thailand waiting for my contact to arrive at my hotel to take me to a CPI project site on the Thai-Burma border.
I was watching a CNN International program on Iraq and what caught my attention (naturally) was a new organization working with Iraqi victims of war called CIVIC. Their founder, a young, dynamic woman was being interviewed and I was inspired. Marla Ruzicka had the same spirit as my colleagues at CPI, was around the same age as us and reminded me of my wife, Martha.
She was one of us!
I emailed her when I got back to the States and said that I would love to meet her in DC sometime and talk shop. She emailed me back and agreed it would be a good thing for us to compare notes sometime, but was heading back to Iraq.
Marla was killed in Iraq yesterday by a car bomb and the world has lost a true hero. I admired Marla. I never met her, but I am as sad as I post this blog as if I lost a friend.
She was one of us.
Posted by James Hathaway at April 17, 2005 09:41 PM
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The real saint have been living in our blody world.big missing for all human being ,my heart will be full of her lovely ,virtuous rememberance.best sample for human virtue,nameless
hero.
I am so deeply saddened to hear about the death of my friend Marla Ruzicka. I was blessed to meet Marla in 1997, when we were both spening time in Havana, Cuba. I adored her boundless energy and insatiable interest in all people, thoughts, ideas, dance moves--everything!! She inhaled life, and was extremely passionate and courageous in everything that she did. I will carry her spirit with me always, as a reminder of how fully we all should be living. As I read all the articles posted since her death, I am amazed and inspired by the tireless advocate she became in the 7 years since I have seen her. She is a new heroine for me, and I send such love to her family and community as we all grieve the loss of a very special woman.
It is unfair for whom doing humanitarian works like her. The news of her death is a shock to me though I never have chance to meet her and this is also the first time I hear her name.
Marla Ruzicka's life was exemplary. She was truly one of the best of her generation: smart, compassionate, courageous, and extraordinarily dedicated to helping the innocent victims of war.
It is a tragic irony that Marla herself became an innocent victim of war. The world has lost a shining star of humanitarianism- she will be sorely missed by those who knew her and by those who continue to be inspired by her work.
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