The next day, Monday, I contacted my congressman’s office in Staten Island, hoping they could tell me more. My congressman, Rep. Vito Fossella, reassured me that the government was working on it. People in his office have been in touch with various people in the government and have been very helpful.
In Japan, my sister-in-law doesn’t have as much information as she would like. She doesn’t get CNN or any shows like it, and the Japanese news reports aren’t really covering the story. She has gone online to various news sites to try to find more. I don’t think any of the families have been able to talk to any of the 24 crew members. As far as I know, only the diplomats have been allowed to see them. My sister-in-law is practically alone-only two of her four children are with her (the other two children are older and are back in the United States). She’s just trying to cope. From what I understand, none of the other spouses of crew members are nearby. A reporter asked to speak with her but she doesn’t feel like talking at the moment.
When I heard that the diplomats had seen the crew and said they were OK, I was very happy. Until someone actually saw them in person and said they were being treated well, all sorts of things were going through my head. Still, I don’t think they’ve released any pictures yet.
I’m trying to create some normalcy in my own life for myself and my family. I don’t even want to watch the news any more on television. I feel as though I’ve become saturated. I tried going to work, but I found it hard to concentrate. I was getting phone calls left and right, and I felt like I needed to make more people aware of what was happening rather than just sit at work. For the most part, though, the press has stayed away from my home since Wednesday morning. I’ve held two press conferences, one on Staten Island and one in Washington, D.C., and I’ve given a few other interviews. It’s getting to the point where I want to tell reporters, “Just read what I’ve already said.”
“Dateline” wants to do a story of what my family is going through while we wait. They spoke about going down to my parents house in Alabama (we are driving down there later today), but I think my parents don’t want the press photographing them and hanging outside their door. So I plan to take a camera and do my own footage and my own interview with them. My parents are holding up better than I expected, but I’ll be happy to see them face to face.
As far as the how the two countries are handling the situation, there are two sides to every story. I don’t know if anyone will ever know the whole truth. It may have been an accident on either side’s part. We won’t really know more until the crew is released. And unfortunately we can’t speak to the pilot from the Chinese plane. By this point, it would be a miracle if they found him alive. I feel very badly for his family.
I don’t know who is at fault or what should happen. Nobody seems to want to lose face. I want my brother home, but I wouldn’t want other people to die rescuing him. Colin Powell said he regrets what happened. I don’t know what China considers to be an apology, but they said it was a good start. I wouldn’t want our government to admit they were wrong because then I worry that the Chinese might do something to the crew, like put them on trial.
Personally, I don’t care about the plane, it’s just a hunk of metal. I just want the Chinese government to let the crew members go. I realize that they’ve lost someone, but there are also 24 people from our country who hope to go free. I hope it’s over soon and for the better.
