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German child of war
81 years later, we're rapidly approaching a moment in human history where there will be no living memory of World War II. But, a Tampa woman remembers it vividly, even though she was just a child. FOX 13's Mark Wilson reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - More than 80 years after the fighting ceased in Europe, the world is rapidly approaching a milestone in human history where there will be no living memory of World War II.
For 95-year-old Tampa resident Rita Fordham, however, those years remain vivid — marked by terror, survival, and the ultimate triumph of starting over.
World War II survivor in Tampa
What we know:
Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Fordham grew up under the constant threat of air raids as Allied bombers targeted the city's industrial hubs. When she was just 12 years old, her parents made an agonizing decision to protect her and her brother: They sent them away to a remote farm in southern Germany.
While the move likely saved their lives as Stuttgart was heavily bombed, life on the farm was far from easy.
"I helped farming the field and went to school and helped with whatever needed to be done," Fordham recalled.
She also rode her bicycle past military train transports, frequently taking cover in ditches when aircraft fired at the tracks.
"We had to go in between the ditch, because they were shooting at the train, and I was shaking in my boots, but I couldn't let them know that I was so scared," Fordham said.
Allied troops entering Germany
The backstory:
As the fighting drew to a close in Europe, French forces swept through the region where Fordham was staying. She and her host family hid in a cellar, unsure of what the soldiers would do to them.
The troops greeted the family with simple acts of kindness.
"They gave us some gum," Rita said. "That's how we knew we were okay."
Starting over in America
What Happened Next:
A few years after the fighting ceased, a former German soldier introduced Fordham to an American GI.
"And what a good-looking man he was," Fordham remembered with a smile. "And that's the way I met my husband."
The two fell in love and married before immigrating to North Carolina with very few resources. Together, they built a peaceful life and raised two sons. Fordham, who turns 96 in September, now lives in Tampa.
Advice from German child of war
What they're saying:
While it took years for the sound of gunfire to fade from her memory, Fordham refuses to let the darkest days of her youth define her story. When asked how she maintains her cheerful spirit after enduring so much, her advice remains simple:
"Today my thought is: Be happy. Make yourself happy."
Fordham turns 96 in September.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an interview with Rita Fordham, who detailed her experiences during World War II and her move to the United States.