Sadako’s father Shigeo was visiting her at the hospital when she asked him, “Why did they send us origami cranes, father?” Shigeo answered Sadako’s question by telling her the Japanese legend of the crane. Origami cranes were thought to help people who were sick become well again. Sadako’s was very happy the day the Red Cross Youth Club gave Sadako and the other children staying in the hospital origami cranes. Even though Sadako was sick, she continued to bring happiness and cheer to her family and friends. While in the hospital, Sadako remained optimistic and resilient. That is why it came as such a surprise when at the age of twelve, Sadako began to show symptoms of leukemia, and had to be admitted into the hospital. She was known to be a fast runner and popular with her classmates. The Sasaki family would also grieve for Sadako when she became sick with leukemia, called atomic bomb disease by some in Hiroshima because the cancer was likely caused by the radioactive black rain that fell on Sadako and Hiroshima on the day of the bombing.īy all appearances, Sadako was a happy and healthy child. They mourned the loss of their grandmother, neighbors, and home. Like many others living in Hiroshima following World War II, the Sasaki family struggled with sickness, financial hardship, food scarcity, and the uncertainty of their families’ future. Shigeo reunited with his family after the bombing, and Sadako and her family returned to Hiroshima to rebuild their lives.
Shigeo, Sadako’s father, was not in Hiroshima at the time of the bombing. Sadako’s grandmother was leaving with Sadako and her family when she turned back to retrieve some family heirlooms from their home. Sadako, with her mother and brother, escaped the fires. Immediately, fires broke out all over the city and radioactive black rain began to fall from the sky. A blinding white light flashed through the city, and a huge boom was heard miles away when Little Boy exploded over Sadako’s hometown. Sadako and family lived a little over one mile from the bomb’s hypocenter. Yet, Sadako’s story still resonates with many people today. The story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who lived through the bombing of Hiroshima, and eventually died from leukemia, is just one of many stories from Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945.
Truman, Tibbett and his crew dropped one of the most powerful bombs ever created over the city of Hiroshima, Japan and a population of approximately 350,000 people. The Enola Gay carried an atomic bomb named, “Little Boy.” By order of President Harry S. Unlike the many other B-29 bombers that had flown over Hiroshima the past days and weeks, Tibbett’s bomber, the Enola Gay, was much different than previous B-29 bombers.
Sadako Sasaki was two years old on August 6th, 1945 when pilot Paul Tibbett of the United States Air Force flew his B-29 bomber airplane over the city of Hiroshima, Japan.