His Choice
A Family’s Struggle During Genocide
by
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“I can’t wait to see our cousins at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. The Twister game that we brought with us will be so much fun to play. I bet that I’ll win every game!”
Albert shouted with excitement. “Dad, are we almost there?”
“We’ll be there in a few minutes, son,” he announced as they exited the Long Island Expressway.
“I’m sure your cousins will be eager to play the game with you and your sister,” Mom interjected.
Grandma Satenig and Grandpa Paul lived in Queens, a borough of New York City. The trip from eastern Long Island was taking longer than usual because of the Thanksgiving holiday. The bumper-to-bumper traffic was very slow, and at times, it would come to a complete standstill.
Finally, they drove down a street where the homes were attached together like paper dolls. Grandma and Grandpa lived in a two-story brick house at the end of the block. Their house could easily be spotted by the green-and-white striped canvas awning that covered the front porch.
After walking up the steps, Dad lifted the heavy brass knocker and rapped on the door. It swung open and Grandpa greeted them with a big hug.
“We were beginning to worry about you,” he said. “Is everything all right?”
“Oh, everything is fine; although we were stuck in a traffic jam for almost an hour and the children were getting restless, but thankfully we made it here without any mishaps,” Mom replied, breathing a sigh of relief.
“Well, come inside and warm up. Dinner is almost ready.” Grandpa put his arms around Albert and Sue and led them into the living room.
As soon as they entered the house, they could smell the wonderful aroma of the feast that was being prepared.
After many hugs and kisses from their aunts, uncles, and cousins, they removed their coats. Grandma Satenig and Grandpa Paul were blessed with three children and seven grandchildren.
“As you requested, I made my apple crumb pie that you love so much” Mom said, as she carried the dessert into the kitchen.
“Oh, that looks delicious, sweetheart. Just set it down on the table with the other desserts,” Satenig said to her daughter.
As she walked in, Mom saw her aunts busily cooking and baking their favorite Armenian foods.
“It’s a good thing you are so slight of stature or it would be impossible for all of you to work in this tiny kitchen at the same time,” she said with a laugh.
Satenig was the eldest of the four Kerbajian sisters followed by Yestair, Aznif and Baizar. They were humming Armenian songs as they worked.
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About the Book
Paul Kerbajian, a renowned artist, was asked to paint in Turkish mosques in an effort to save his family and himself from the impending attacks on the Armenians. Paul was resistant to converting to Islam and refused to denounce Christ. His children witness the unfathomable fate of their parents. Set in 1915 during World War I, the story chronicles the events of four orphaned sisters and their perseverance, determination, and struggle to survive. One sister is separated from her siblings, wounded, thrown into a mass grave, and eventually sold into slavery. The other three sisters witness chilling scenes of torture, rape, and starvation during a long, arduous death march through the Syrian Desert. This book is inspired by an incredible true story of faith and survival. Through numerous twists and turns, this heart-wrenching story has an unexpected ending.
About the Author
Angel Nalbandian Rossi lost her grandparents in the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Throughout her childhood, she heard stories of her family and was inspired to write this book. Through family memoirs she provides the background information for this compelling historical novel. She lives with her husband in Florida. Susan Parks is a lecturer in literacy education at the University of Toledo. She is the daughter of Angel Nalbandian Rossi. Captivated by her heritage, she studied the history of Armenia and the genocide in preparation for writing the book. She resides in Ohio with her husband.