Earthquake Memories : Voices

“I cried in my mother’s arms and our family embraced in a circle of hope, love and thankfulness.”

Lauren Fleshman Age 13 Sierra Vista Junior High School

in Canyon Country *

“Now that it’s a year since it happened, I feel more confident and thankful that I’m alive and that my parents, sister and cousin are alive and well.”

Byanca Chable Age 12 Noble Avenue Elementary School

in North Hills *

“I was so freaked out I could barely move.”

Colby Jensen Age 11 Woodlake Elementary School in

Woodland Hills *

“I felt very scared. I thought I was going to die.”

Maritza Manriquez Age 10 Woodlake Elementary School *

“We spent nights on the street sleeping and eating. Now we can say that we know how the homeless live.”

Mayra Alejandra Ovalle Age 13 Nobel Middle School in Northridge *

“I didn’t really know what was going on because I never had experienced an earthquake.”

Jared Wright Age 13 Sierra Vista Junior High School *

“It made me feel like it was the end of the world.”

Leslie Wijangco Age 12 Noble Avenue Elementary School *

“I still have trouble eating and sleeping.”

Alexandria Hoffman Age 8 Germain Street Elementary School

in Chatsworth *

“Fear ran through the house.”Gina Rea Age 7 Woodlake Elementary School *

“My dad ran back in the house to get his robe. He was out by the time he was in.”

Jason Breslow Age 9 Woodlake Elementary School *

“We invited a bunch of our neighbors for barbecue because we had no electricity or water and didn’t want the meat in our freezer to spoil.”

Danny Yaffe Age 13 Sierra Vista Junior High School *

“The night was scary because there was no electricity.”

Frank Yoon Age 10 Woodlake Elementary School *

“I remember how brave I was on the outside, how I was willing to do anything to help and how scared I was on the inside, how I didn’t know what was going to happen.”

Michelle Fields Age 11 Chatsworth Hills Academy *

“I imagine those crazy jolts like riding a bucking bronco and having no electricity for a week was like living as a pioneer.”

Jenny Madia Age 12 Sierra Vista Junior High School *

“I was glad I wore shorts that night but my dad was not. He ran outside with a towel around him.”

Jeremy Schwartz Age 10 Chatsworth Hills Academy *

“I wish that we could have more earthquakes like that one so that I could miss more school and get more things.”

Tony Lombardi Age 13 Sierra Vista Junior High School *

“During the earthquake, a frozen turkey came out of the freezer and almost landed on my dog.”

Daniel Gallardo Age 10 Chatsworth Hills Academy