During this radio interview, my fellow author Katana Abbott and I discuss the value of gratitude for any situation.

Please click on the Smart Women Talk Radio link below. It may  you the way you see your life.

 mms://contacttalkradio.soundwaves2000.com/ctr/katanaabbott071310.mp3

Andy (12), Ardith (7) and I woke up when the Stockholm plowed into the side of their ship, just a few cabins forward from our cabin as we later learned. The sensation was what one might feel sitting in a row boat as it bumped several times against a dock. Andy instinctively slammed shut the porthole cover beside him, as he saw lights flash by. We were instantly aware that our cabin floor was tilting. My mind was sort of blank. I just knew that something very serious was wrong. I went to the row of four metal lockers, in the bottom of which the life jackets were stowed, and I yank them out, one after the other, throwing them on the floor and noting with alarm that they slid across the tilted floor toward the outer wall, as I did so.

Our steward was in the hall, calling “Signore, signori, andate fuori! Signore, signori, andate su!” Essentially, “Ladies and gentlemen, come out of your cabins and go up on deck.”  There seemed to be a smoky haze in the hall. (I believe now that it was exhaust from an engine that must have ruptured by the Stockholm). All I wanted to do was to get my kids and myself above deck. It didn’t occur to me to get dressed, although and he had the presence of mind to slip on his shorts. I put Ardith’s  life jacket on her over her slip, but I forgot to tie it. I sent her and Andy out in the hall to go above deck. Then, I had to awaken Donnie (10). A sound sleeper, he had slept through it all! I had to urge and urge him to come right away. I got his life jacket on him, but he was conservative and wanted to get dressed.

In retrospect, there would have been plenty of time for him to address. But all I knew then, the ship could sync with us trapped below deck. I urged him, “You have to come now. Your life may depend on it.”

“Hi, Pierette! We had visitors over the weekend from our Berlin grands and Clara (12) showed me how to find the Song by Udo Lindenberg in 1974 “Alles klar auf der Andrea Doria?” (Everything clear on the Andrea Doria). Apparently, his song and drawings became so popular in Germany that German Mail (Deutsche Post) issued a stamp in his honor in July 2010. One can find the song in the Internet under “YouTube.com, Udo Linderberg, Andrea Doria”. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QU8YiEIyPUw”

You will want to see this unique stamp at http://worldstampsnews.blogspot.com/2010/07/germany-andrea-doria.html

As we were enjoying tea and coffee, Daniele Russo came to our table to welcome us. His tall handsome presence was a plus in the already beautiful Mediterranean ambience of the historic home. After discussing the Italian community and how to target business, Daniele seemed grateful for the suggested connections.

As I handed him my business card, I told him he could contact me if he needed any more information. He read my card and then looked up at me saying, “I see you’re a speaker. Do you speak on the Andrea Doria?” When I explained that I was a survivor, he was intrigued, and added his connection to the Andrea Doria; “My friend Rick Roost from Ann Arbor died diving the Doria,” Daniele explained with sadness in his eyes. I told him that Rick’s name has come up many times during speaking events and shipwreck festivals. To turn the subject into something positive, I added, “I’ve been told that Rick was a fantastic deep-sea diver.” Daniele agreed and explaining that he himself is a diver and would love to have an Andrea Doria event at The Gathering Place.

What wonderful discoveries: a new eatery, its Italian owner, a diver, and someone who offered another curious and endless Andrea Doria connection.

NB The dinner event will take place on September 25 at the Gathering Place, in quaint Northville,  Michigan. The menu will be the same as one of the dinners offered on the Andrea Doria.

The most traumatic moments are indelible from my mind: the loud crash, praying for a merciful death, being dangled over the dark Atlantic with a rope around my waist, the packed lifeboat ride from hell, climbing a ’skyscraper’ rescue ship on a Jacob’s ladder, and more.

I have learned that on the other side of tragedy, there is always a lifeline–gratitude! The catastrophe gave me the opportunity to be grateful for:

*documenting the human and scientific facts in a book, “Alive on the Andrea Doria! The Greatest Sea Rescue in History. www.pierettesimpson.com

*thanking my grandparents for bringing me to America by dedicating my book to them

*vindicating our captain, crew, and the Italian maritime industry

*becoming a proponent of safety at sea along with the national chairman of marine forensics (James Cameron’s consultant)

My view of life is that we have two choices when faced with survival: sink or swin. I’ve been swimming to safe harbors in spite of several major trials–my husband’s passing at 33, severance from family ties in Italy and the U.S., loneliness, and personal illness. I’m grateful for all of these experiences as they have made me stronger.

I’ve learned to live my life to the brim: writing, speaking, advocating marine safety, etc. (after 37 years of teaching.) As a result, I’ve been honored with many life-achievement awards. I’ve also learned that in order to survive, we must constantly adapt—even if it means re-inventing ourselves.

I believe in the wisdom of Charles Darwin: in order to survive we must be “most responsive to change.”

I am fascinated by the fact that he and his company are were involved in capping the BP well in the Gulf.  Here is a company profile from Wikipedia

Oceaneering’s services and products are marketed worldwide to oil and gas companies, government agencies, and firms in the telecommunications, aerospace, and marine engineering and construction industries. Its business offerings include remotely operated vehicles, mobile offshore production systems, built-to-order specialty hardware, engineering and project management, subsea intervention and installation services, non-destructive testing and inspections, manned diving, and space suits. Oceaneering won a $745 million United States government contract in 2008 for the design and manufacture of space suits for future American lunar exploration.^[4]

The company’s stock is a component of the S&P 600 stock market index.

http://www.oceaneering.com/

Pierette, thank you for your prompt answer – I have just posted my postcard with the Andrea Doria Stamp, you will receive it within the next 8 days. Although I was the only German aboard, many North Europeans (Austrians, Swiss, and even Dutch) were also on the ship and the Rescue became well known in Germany as well (remember I had written my eyewitness report while on the “Stockholm” that was printed by 48 German newspapers after 8 days). Also, there was a popular pop song about the Andrea Doria later on and the writer (Udo Lindenberg) apparently painted the picture that was used now for the stamp! I will look into it and if I find more details I´ll let you know. Besides – in 2006 the German dpa-Press Service published an interview with me (and Hilly) that also was reprinted in many newspapers across the nation! Of course, “Lostliners.de” even printed excerpts from my old Doria Diary in 2006. I think I have sent all that to you, although most of it was in German. Let me know if something is missing.

Before I forget – thank you also for the Newsletter! After Antony´s (Grillo) sudden death there was not much communication among the survivors, so your new efforts will certainly be appreciated by the public.

Perhaps you can use some of this information in you newsletter (correcting my English)? And thanks for your interest – I hope the stamp gets to you soon. Affectually, Klaus and Hilly

Bud and Wink Gifford and their four children:

Dun (17), Jock (15), Chad (13) and Bambi (9)                      

 On June 20 we set off on the Queen Mary for an adventure traveling on a months journey to London, Paris, Brussels, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Venice, Rome and finally Naples. We boarded the Andrea Doria on July 19^th in Naples. My Mother who studied art in Florence, was overwhelmed by the beauty of the ship. The entire voyage was a special time on a very special ship; except of course the last night.

I remember the last night as they make it so festive in so many ways. I was wearing my “best party dress” as we went into dinner. We were always awed at having shrimp cocktail in those cute stemmed glasses. I think we had roast beef, but not sure about that. What I do remember is the grapefruit ice cream (though it was probably sorbet- and probably more to clear our palate). I know we all were excited about the choice of dessert: Baked Alaska or Crepe Suzette. Hard choice!

After dinner we went to the Belvedere Lounge to play the Horse Racing. I loved that room and loved to do the horse racing. My brothers were angry with me as I was the only one who won. I won 9 dollars and put it in my new Italian leather pocket book. (My winnings and the new pocket book are still on the Andrea Doria.) We were able to stay up late as it was the last night and there was a celebration everywhere. Dun, my oldest brother went up to the dance where he was joined by two girls he had met from Cedarhurst Long Island. My other brothers Jock and Chad and I went to collect swizzle sticks, which we were slightly obsessed with. My parents took a stroll around the deck.

Around 10:45 we meet my parents and headed down to our cabins. I was with Mom and Dad in #96, and my three brothers were in #98.We were preparing for bed when the ships collided. Dad and Dun (who was still upstairs with his lady friends) remember it as a “terrible grinding of metal.” Then there was “a screetching of metal and then a final bump”. The noise scared me, but I remember a slow motion glass of milk going from one side of the cabin to the other. It was a ribbon of white, similar to what you’d see in a cartoon. My Dad suffered from ulcers so he had a glass of milk every night. Of all the visual occurrences that I have witnessed in my life that is one of the ones that is still vivid.

I was taking off my dress and my mother yanked it back down. Dad grabbed our passports and we all took a life jacket. When we opened the door everyone was coming out of their rooms with the same puzzled expressions that we had on our faces. Jock and Chad joined Mom, Dad and I to get upstairs to our Life Boat Station. Dad was a bit mad that Dun was not back in his room. Luckily we ran into Dun as we were going up the stairs. However he didn’t have his life jacket so he went back to his cabin. When he went down he noticed the weird angle that the clothes in the closet were hanging at, and since he was a sailor he knew that the boat was in trouble. He grabbed two jackets, thinking that one of the girls might not have one. When he rejoined us he saw that both girls had life jackets. He walked around until he found someone who did not have one. It turned out to be crew member.

It was chaotic scene. There were not many announcements to tell us what was going on, and when they did make an announcement it was in Italian. My mother was a very calm person, who like any mother wanted to reassure and calm her children. She had us talk about our favorite country, our favorite hotel, our favorite meal, or our favorite city. It worked for a while as we tried to state why we liked what we liked best. I of course picked Venice, as it is so magical. Then I started to cry a little. Mom, who thought I was scared, asked what was wrong. Because of all the scary talk and the terrible list, I knew we were sinking. However I thought we would be saved. All the victims in the fairy tales get saved, so why shouldn’t we? I cried because everyday of the voyage I would go up the top deck and visit the poodles in the cage up there. I patted them, talked to them and thought about our dogs at home in Nantucket. I wanted Mom to tell me that they would be rescued. She said yes, of course the owners would rescue them. When I got older and read more about that night, I now know that she was trying to quell my fears.

Finally we all went up to get into lifeboats. The slide across the deck was very frightening for me. Going down the rope ladder was not, as I was a wiry 9 year old, who thought of it as an adventure.

We got into a very crowded lifeboat with Dad waving to us, as he stayed on the ship. Mother, I know was distraught, but very stoic. I sat in Jock’s lap. We sat next to a woman named Ruth Roman who was crying and carrying on. I know now that she was a famous actress, but didn’t then. She told us that she had no idea where her 3 year old son was, but hoped his “ nurse” was with him on another life boat. I was so scared for her, and wondered why she wasn’t with him.  (I learned much later that she did reunite with him). The site of the Ile de France’s glowing letters is another sight I will never forget. It was almost looked like an amusement park sign. Remember I was only nine at the time; everything looks different to a child.

We were really warmly greeted and donations of clothes were everywhere. Mom even found out who donated ours so she could thank them.

Two hours after we arrived on the Ile de France, my father appeared. There is some argument among my brothers about who saw him first, but it was my Mom who was the most relieved and the happiest.

 We have always been a close family. Going through an experience like this tends to bind you in ways that are hard to express. We would always get together on the anniversary of the sinking. I always wondered why as it almost seems macabre. But Mom once said that we were so lucky, and we should celebrate our luck, our love and our closeness.

Now the six of us are only three. My Dad died in 2004, my mother died in 2005, and my oldest brother Dun died this past May. It seems fitting that his memorial service here on Nantucket is this Saturday, July 24^th, the day before the anniversary of the collision.

Told by  Bambi Gifford Mleczko

Nantucket , MA

7/19/10

Thank you for your warm note [of congratulations].  When I first started diving shipwrecks in 1988 on Long Island the Andrea Doria was always the “big dive.” Long before technical diving, and rebreathers were being employed, the “Doria divers” were at the top of the craft. I was lucky to be around at that time and at the beginnings of the technical diving movement. I jumped on it and trained hard for four years to get to the Andrea Doria in 1992.

It was on that trip on June 25, 1992 (18 years to the day from this one) that lifelong friends have been made. But those friendships only solidified once I kept visiting the Andrea Doria. And those friends begot more friends. And some of those friends are no longer with us.

In 1993 I was crew on the Moyer Expedition aboard the Wahoo. That was a hard project to do. Billy Campbell and I rigged the 1,000 pound panels down the Winter Garden  corridor in 220 feet of water. When those came up it was exciting. I could only imagine how many people had sat around them having a drink or a coffee sharing good times.  But when this bell came up ….. it was a moment-stopper. Here I was on board the Explorer, on my expedition, standing with Gary Gentile, and my good friend Capt. Dave Sutton looking at what I immediately knew would change Carl and Ernie’s lives. It would become a media frenzy. It would be a lifetime moment for all on board. And, it was a deep sense of accomplishment of the culmination of my last 15 years work of introducing people to big shipwrecks. I was as proud of them as I would be of my own children.

I personally would never have found that bell. I gave up hard seeking for artifacts years ago when I began working the USS Monitor.  So for two guys, who on their first trip got the bell on my expedition, nothing could be better–other than had my wonderful wife Kathy (#24 on the Doria Women’s Diver list) and my dear departed friend Tony Maffatone had been there.

On my drive home cross country I stopped at Evelyn Dudas’ house. (Evelyn was the first woman to dive the Andrea Doria in 1967.)  It was an unexpected and surprise visit. The smile on her face was one I can never forget. Over dinner Evelyn,  Michael (her son) and I poured over her late husband’s (John Dudas) Doria notes and documents and she realized that this bell was just a few feet from where her husband had recovered the compass binnacle so many years ago. This bell represented a connection for her to a long departed love.

The note I received from you was a highlight as well.  These are the moments with people that make this bell so special for me. People.  I can only hope that both Carl and Ernie see this fantastic find as one to do good with within the diving community and use it as a catalyst to share their love of shipwreck diving with others.

I will go back to the Andrea Doria as often as time and conditions allow. It’s a spectacular place to visit and I am fortunate to be among the few who get to see her from time to time.

With warm regards,

Joel Silverstein

The Honorable Mention award will be celebrated in Hollywood on July 23 at the Roosevelt Hotel. I will not be attending but I hope to get noticed by film, TV, and others in the production industry. Could this be the start of something big in Hollywood?? According to the Festival website:

“Based in the capital of show business, the Hollywood Book Festival aims to spotlight literature worthy of further consideration by the talent-hungry pipeline of the entertainment industry.”

A special thanks to my friend Karlheinz Baumann for his exhaustive production and editing! I also thank the five survivors who read their stories: Germaine Strobel, Mike Stoller, Madge Young Nickerson, Jerome Reinert, and Sister Angelita Myerscough. If you would like to hear a two-minute excerpt, go to www.PieretteSimpson.com. It’s on the homepage, along with the offer for free book with every purchase.

A press release will follow.

Thanks for letting me share my excitement!