My diary - December 26-28, 1972
- Susan Fisch Good
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
December 26, l972 Tues.
Dear Flowers:
We got up at 4:30 & went to airport. 85% of Managua is destroyed. Like if a bomb hit it. 4000 people dead. We left Dad I wish he could come too but he has to work. We went the long way, San Salvador, Guatemala, San Pedro Sula & finally Miami. Took about 7-8 hrs. Tinders picked us up. Were staying at their house. They have been really nice in taking us in. I took a bath & my hair & feel 100% better. Color T.V. I MISS MY DADDY!!! Keep him safe!
BYE!!!
Note: We left in Dad’s car just as the sun came up. I looked back at the house and saw the shimmer of our aluminum Christmas tree, miraculously still standing amid the chaos of the windowless house. On the long ride to the airport, I saw my first dead person. We sat in the backseat - David on the left side, Becky in the middle, and I was on the right. Unfortunately, it was on my side - I saw the body of a woman partially covered in rubble. I remember she wore a flowered blouse and a pink skirt. It was terrifying to see the mass destruction, the smell of fire, and heavy dust. Estimates put the number killed at 4000, but that number would rise.
I hated leaving Dad behind; it was a long travel day, and we hadn’t bathed since Friday. George and Lucille Tinder picked us up at the Miami airport. They were older, retired friends of my parents, and they were so kind to let us stay with them.
We didn’t have a color TV in Managua, so that was a novelty.
We all felt almost human after taking long showers.
I was so worried about Dad’s safety.
December 27, 1972 Wed.
Dear Flowers:
Watched T.V. We went to the supermarket. Mom called all our relatives. Grandma thought we were dead. We been watching all of the News reels on Nic. We went to the airport to drop off Mr. Skains. Mom bought me a book “Anne of Avolea” Watched T.V.
BYE!
Note: Mom got to call all of our relatives, and my poor Grandma thought we were all dead as the newsreels on TV showed all the devastation. Without power, we had no way of contacting them from Managua. Even calling long distance in the U.S. was expensive at the time, so calls were short. Mom called collect, meaning the receiver paid for the call rather than our hosts.
I don’t remember who Mr. Skains was or why we took him to the airport.
Mom was wonderful, buying me a book and helping things be a bit more normal for me.
December 28, 1972 Thurs.
Dear Flowers:
We didn’t do really anything. Stayed home all day. Mom counted all her jewerly & took inventory. We all got to talk to Grandma. Watched T.V. Read on “The Fox from his Lair.” Took a nap. I don’t feel comfortable at the Tinders. I hope we can go back to Managua or to Grandmas & Grandpa.
I miss DAD.
BYE!!
Note: Mom brought all her jewelry with her because it wasn’t safe to leave it in Nicaragua, and we helped her take inventory.
The Tinders weren’t used to having kids in their house. Mr. Tinder was a bit crotchety as we disrupted his routine. He grew beautiful orchids and showed us his greenhouse. Mrs. Tinder was super sweet, baking us cookies and lending me books, but I wasn’t comfortable.
I remember borrowing their matching folding bikes and riding around the neighborhood with Becky. I’m not sure what the issue was but shortly after returning the bikes, Mr Tinder was not pleased. I too was wanting to get away and either get back to Nicaragua or go see Grandma and Grandpa. No one knew if and when school was going to start again.
Dave
Seems like we always took "the long way" as you put it, thru Central America...the "milk run" as Mom called it. Always exciting (and scary) to land at Toncontín in "Teguce" (Tegucigalpa).
Your sight of the dead victim in the rubble makes me remember being told somewhere that our mind tends to "block out" or forget traumatic events in our past; I don't know about that....I certainly remember scary events in my past.
I'll bet it was nerve-wracking for your Mom to carry all her jewelry on her person during the trip.
Do you remember being told what your Dad did since he stayed there? Was it to help coordinate evacuation flights on Pan Am?
Lastly, very interesting to hear…
Absolutey riviting account - Susie! Thanks so much for bringing us in to your world as you escaped from Managua and adjusted to being a guest in someone elses home. You are honest about not being all that comfortable yet, you were appreciative. Love that books were your companions for all of your life and now you are writing books your self for others... Hats off, I admire you so much!
Tootsie
We evacuated on one of those military transport planes and were flown to MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, where we received care packages and clothing from the American Red Cross. I think that was the first sweatshirt I ever owned. After a day or two in Miami, we flew out to Nassau, Bahamas, the head office location of the insurance company that my dad worked for, and stayed in a hotel. My dad returned to Managua first, and set up his office in our home, because the Office building had been destroyed like so much of the city. I actually loved going to school in the afternoon because you could sleep in all morning!
Thanks for sharing memories!…
Steve, mom and evacuated several days after the quake. Dad had to stay behind for work. We left in an Army transport type plane with the web seats. Thought it was cool for the first hour or two. Landed at Dover Air Force base and then we were bused to DC. Just remember it being a lot no day. The next day we got on a plane to go stay with my grandparents in Wausau, WI. Talk about a climate change!!! It was in the 30’s and lower. The snow was beautiful 😂. Got enrolled in school for the time we were there. I got to know some of my cousins which was awesome. I misse…