A Mother’s Perspective
I thought I should tell a little about who Linda is. Linda Victoria was born May 29, 1993 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico at 26 weeks gestation, 14 weeks early. She was the first of triplets, then Nicole Marie (she died 69 days later), and finally Stephanie Christine, the smallest of the three, not even 2 pounds. Hours before the C-section, doctors had told me Linda was dead, I told them “Check again, she is not.” In Spanish, Linda Victoria means “Beautiful Victory”, that is what she is to me. Through all the difficulties of her prematureness, she has emerged as a beautiful person. I believe she is destined for great things. Linda has a 20 year old brother, Raymond Joseph and a younger sister, 12 year old Allison Marian.
After arriving in Florida 5 years ago, she studied in Forest City elementary and then Sabal Point Elementary where Mrs. Koskoski took her class to the Anne Frank play that started it all. Her 6th grade was in Millennium Middle School in Sanford. She is currently a 7th grade student at Indian Trails Middle School in Palm Coast, Florida.
I believe that what truly touched Linda about Anne was how similar they were to each other. It did not matter the great obvious differences such as time, religion, nationality and circumstances, they were so much the same. Like Anne, Linda has a big heart. I could say many more similarities but I am afraid I would embarrass her. To the contrary of Anne, however, Linda is very shy, that is until she gets to know you. Anne, was born June 12, Linda, May 29, both are Gemini. Linda is hoping to present the signatures to Spielberg between those two dates. No matter what happens, I feel very proud of Linda’s undertaking. She wants what every Holocaust survivor lives for, that no one forget, so that it never happens again. This is her attempt to improve the world with Anne’s help. Please join her in spreading the message that we all are precious and that one voice lost is a voice too many.
Thank you,
Linda Muir
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank
UPDATES AND THANK YOUS
May 06, 2007
Today the site got some publicity in the Daytona Beach News Journal. Thanks to Janette Neuwahl. Here's an piece.
Teen pushing for updated Anne Frank movie
Staff Writer
"PALM COAST -- They share the same astrological sign, have similar mops of brown hair and a desire to help others.They both like to write and have kept journals to record their most intimate thoughts.
Those are just a few of the things that Linda Russo, 13, found in common with Anne Frank as she watched a play about the Holocaust victim and later read the famous diary the Jewish teen wrote while hiding from the Nazi's in anAmsterdam attic.
After spending a weekend reading Frank's diary, Russo wanted to know more. She scoured the Internet for more information, then rented the 1959 movie, "The Diary of Anne Frank." In the middle of the black and white picture, an idea came to Russo." More
April 29, 2007
It’s been three weeks since I started our petition, at this time we have almost 400 signatures from 8 different countries and 15 states. I want to thank all of you who have signed and supported me in different ways.
- My principal Michele Crosby helped me to get a lot of signatures on paper at school.
- Ms. Monica Campana had my link on the school’s attitude blog right away.
- Ms. Lori Decker put me on the school website.
- Thank you to all the teachers that read my letter in their class and let their students add their name on paper.
- I want to thank Ms. Davies, Ms. Crahan and Mr. Adair.
- My family has promoted this website to all their friends, especially my uncle Charles Muir, my mom’s uncle, Philip Griffo. Also to my dad, who helped spread the word to some of the latin countries.
- To Almut Goebel, for translating a bit of my message in german.
- To my mom, Linda Muir and my brother, Ray Russo, whom without this site would not be possible. He also digitally painted Anne on the pictures used here.
- To Maureen McNeil, Director of Education of the Anne Frank Center, for her support.
- Ms. Gieger (now Mrs. Wood) invited me to meet Mr. Frank Alexander, a Holocaust survivor (see picture). It is very hard to say what I felt when I met him. I was very nervous, but then when I met him I felt that he was very nice. I am grateful for his support and for the nice things he said about this project.
I cried when I heard that another Holocaust survivor, Liviu Librescu, was killed at Virginia Tech at age 76. As Mr. Alexander says, there are so few left that can tell of the horrors of the Holocaust first hand. It made me really upset that some people want to say the Holocaust did not exist and that places like England and Germany do not want to teach the Holocaust anymore. I watched the movie “Freedom Writers” and was glad that Anne Frank’s story was a big part of it and was surprised that
Ms. Miep Gies was able to visit them. I want to be able to meet her some day. I am committed to continue gathering signatures for this project and to spread Anne Frank’s messages throughout my life.
“It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.” - Anne Frank
