Summer Nights

It all began with a night stroll along the harbour on a magical summer night. People everywhere, enjoying our beautiful harbour views. Children riding bikes and skateboarding along the pier. Sounds of music, laughter, and chattering blaring as we passed by the restaurants and boats that were docked. The fishermen along the wharves doing what they do best. The smell and breeze of the ocean were so fresh and soothing. Everyone around seemed so happy and relaxed. We stopped at an ice cream cart to get some ice cream. They were selling glowsticks as well and Marigold flower necklaces. I picked up a necklace for my daughter and placed it around her neck, the colour so bright just like the sunset. We grabbed our ice creams and continued our walk, singing out loud our favourite songs.

A ship was entering the harbour that night and blowing its horn, so we stopped to watch it sail towards the pier while waving our arms and welcoming it in. Within 20 minutes of it sailing in, we saw a light from the ship. As it approached closer and closer it looked like fire and that horn kept on blowing repeatedly and was getting louder and louder. By then I realised the ship was on fire and that those horns were cries for help. It was still in the distance, and I felt the ground shake from underneath. I held my daughter tightly and all I heard and felt was an explosion and a tremble that pierced through my body.

I looked around and all I could see was people on the floor and the sounds of crying and screams for help echoing in my ears. There was so much commotion and confusion. The impact of the explosion reached the pier and it felt like a force of wind and lightning. People in the water screaming for help. Surrounded by darkness I found myself in the hands of paramedics. I was in total dismay as I didn't know what had happened. I had cuts and was bleeding from the impact of the explosion that blew us at least 4 metres away from where were standing. I screamed out loud my daughter!! Where is my daughter?

So many blue and red lights and commotion on the pier.

The paramedic tried to calm me down, but I couldn't breathe anymore as the anxiety kicked in at the thought that I lost my daughter. I wasn't making sense I was out of control and was refusing to get any treatment until my daughter was found.

They asked me to describe what she was wearing and all I could say was the Marigold flower necklace. As the police approached me, I was in hysterics and tried to get up but fell to the floor and passed out. I woke up when the officer poured water over my face, and I couldn't control my crying. I finally calmed down and begged them to get me up so I could help search for my daughter. In this chaos with hundreds of people running to their loved ones and helping the injured I lost all focus and it felt like a nightmare. I had to convince myself that she was somewhere out there but was safe and unhurt.

A man walking towards the ambulance was carrying a child I ran towards him screaming her name, but it wasn't her.

I kept searching and it felt like forever. Then I saw her lying on the ground surrounded by people. I pushed my way through, and my baby girl was ok, she was bleeding from the forehead as she must have hit her head.

My daughter was ok. She was safe and, in my arms, again.

We were ok and fortunate but sadly many lost their lives that evening.

That sombre feeling, the unknown and the fear in my daughter's eyes as she was in my arms with the Marigold flower still around her neck will stay with me forever.

A year on we came back to that pier we once walked along that gorgeous summer night with tears of sadness but also grateful my daughter is by my side.

The pier is known as a Memorial that we visit every year. We place flowers in respect to the innocent lives that were taken here on that peaceful summer night.

In the glimpse of an eye, you can lose those dear to you…