Tribute to Suki

Official notice posted in may locations throughout Kuji on March 10th, announcing Tsunami Preparedness Drill, the day before the Tsunami Earthquake struck.

I've called this page A Tribute to Suki, because for me this story begins with my wife, but it's not really just about Suki. It's for all those across Japan who did their jobs often quietly and without recognition. The officials, the harbor staff, the police and fire crews, the medical teams, the volunteers, some had trained for years. Others were suddenly thrown into something unimaginable. Many were carrying their own fear and loss while still showing up for others. Suki happened to be one small part of that effort, and because she was my wife, hers is the story I can tell. But through her, I want to honor all those who prepared, who responded, and who stayed when it mattered most.

I remember March 10th surprisingly well, though at the time there was no reason it should have been memorable at all. It was a Thursday. and for me, it was just another working day in Kuji. I had an English lesson that morning and a few things to pick up afterwards, so I was walking around town for a while. I remember noticing more emergency vehicles than usual and official notices posted here and there, but my Japanese wasn't great. So, beyond recognizing the characters for tsunami, I didn't take much in. I heard the sirens, heard the loudspeakers, but nobody around me seemed concerned, and I just got on with my day. Later that evening, when Suki came home, I asked her about it. She explained that they had been doing a tsunami preparedness exercise that day. I remember her being really pleased with how it had gone. She took that part of her job seriously, and I remember she felt everyone had worked well together. Successful was the word that she used. We had dinner, talked about ordinary things and went to bed just like any other night.

The next morning, Friday March 11th, Suki left for work as usual. I went about my own day. There was nothing remarkable about that morning, and by early afternoon the drill from the day before already felt like it belonged to yesterday. Then, at 2:46 in the afternoon, the ground began to move. At first, it was that familiar thought, an earthquake. We felt them before, but this one didn't stop. It kept going, and in that moment, everything changed.

Owen Goodwin, 2012

Translation of notice.

Author’s Note; Despite the scale of the disaster that struck Kuji on March 11th, 2011, the loss of life in the city was remarkably small compared to other Sanriku communities. Four people were confirmed to have died and two remained missing. This author's note is an acknowledgment of the many real people whose preparedness and actions helped protect their communities that day.