Holocaust survivor sees light at the end of the tunnel during pandemic

We spoke to a woman who survived the horrors of the Holocaust. She offered hope during a time when families have felt the pain of losing loved ones and people have felt division among fellow Americans.

The Nazis killed Rosette Gerbosi’s parents at Auschwitz concentration camp in occupied Poland during World War II. She spent more than a year in hiding.

“I was almost 11 when I saw my parents for the last time,” Gerbosi said. “When I had to say goodbye, it was a very painful goodbye.”

Some might imagine quarantine during the pandemic would bring back awful memories of hiding during Gerbosi’s childhood, but tough times often make people tougher.

“Somehow, I wake up in the morning. I say, ‘This is a brand-new day,’ and I start again,” Gerbosi said. “That’s been with me all my life. I just look forward to whatever years we have left, to enjoy it, have many laughs and maybe dance, dance a little bit.”

Make no mistake, tough times do not make tough people immune to frustration. We asked Gerbosi about her attempts to try scheduling an appointment for the coronavirus vaccine.

“I’m going to get a little upset here because we have tried numerous times to get one. OK?. We are elderly. My husband is 91 years old,” Gerbosi explained. “We went on Eventbrite, the way we were told to do. We had our finger on and were ready to click. As soon as we were ready to click, I was on my iPad. Then, they said, ‘Sorry, it’s over.”

Tough times do not kill optimism for Gerbosi. She looks forward to how she’ll feel duirng the moment when she gets that shot in the arm.

“I will feel free and elated,” Gerbosi said.

Losing freedom often makes us appreciate freedom more.

“It’s the most beautiful word in the world — Freedom,” Gerbosi said. “That’s why I came to America. The land of the free, and it will be again … There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel. It’s an old adage, but it’s true. It’s the truth … There’s always a vaccine at the end of the tunnel.”