Mrs. Betty Tisdale - the heroine. In April 1975, newly arrived in Vietnam, she decided to save the orphans, who were thrown out on the streets. She was adopted by a five orphaned Vietnamese girls - together with her husband, a former pediatrician Tis-Colonel Patrick Daley, the father of five other children from his first wife.
As the U.S. military doctor in Vietnam in 1954, Tom Dooley helped the fugitives from the communist North. Betty told me:
- I have a feeling that Tom Dooley - a saint. Knowing him forever changed my life.
Under the influence of the book Dooley she took her savings on the life and fourteen times while on vacation went to Vietnam and worked in hospitals and orphanages, which are founded. While in Saigon, she literally fell in love with orphans in the An-Lax (happy place), which took care of Madame By Thi Ngai.
When Betty realized the plight of children, she developed a rigorous activity. She called Madame Ngai and said:
- I will come, take their children being adopted.
She did not know how to do it, but knew that would make sure. Later in the film about the evacuation of orphans "Children of An-Luck," Shirley, John talked about Betty.
Sometimes she makes, it seemed impossible. She said:
- I want all these kids grew up in good Christian homes in America, but not under communism.
She went to Vietnam from Fort Benninga on Sunday, arrived Tuesday in Saigon and, forgetting about rest and sleep overcame all obstacles, and on Saturday morning has agreed to transport the children on a plane. However, Dr Dan, head of the department of social security in Saigon, suddenly announced that will give good only for children under ten years, moreover, all children must have birth certificates. But where the fatherless birth certificate? Happiness is in the fact that they all survived!
Betty went to the Department of Children's Hospitals and managed to draw a birth certificate, wrote the date and place of birth years for 219 children of all ages.
- I had no idea where and when they were born, but I have gotten their hands on their birth certificates to legitimize the very fact of their existence.
Only the certificate was given hope that the children can safely go, and thus rely on a happy future. Now or never.
After that, Betty had to find a place to house orphans. Military in Fort Benninga resisted, but Betty has acted intelligently and aggressively. Unable to contact by telephone with the general, she called the headquarters of the Army Bo Callaway. But even there she did not promise anything.
However, Betty did not recognize his defeat. Too far gone, and she had done too much to stop. Since Bo Callaway was a native of Georgia, she phoned his mother, tearfully described the situation and asked her to a broker in resolving the issue. Chief of Staff of the Army, her son, responded immediately and ordered that one of the schools at Fort Benning has been on loan to house orphans An-Luck.
However, there remained the problem of trafficking of children. When Ketty arrived in Saigon, she immediately went to Ambassador Graham Martin and asked him to help smuggle children. The Ambassador agreed to help, if all the documents will be endorsed by the Vietnamese government. Dr. Deng has signed the final document just in those moments when the children were not getting off the ladder.
Orphans were anemic and sick. Most of them did not know no other life but the orphanage. They looked frightened. Betty asked the soldiers and crew members to help the children buckle up and eat. You can not imagine how happy beating hearts of volunteers, when a beautiful Saturday afternoon 219 children were sent to gain freedom! They shouted for joy and were happy that it made a contribution.
Charter flights to the U.S. from Vietnam - it is very troublesome. Expenditure on the American plane was 21 000 dollars. Dr. Tisdale has guaranteed payment of love to the orphans. Had Betty had more time, she has a free ride. However, time was too important.
Each child has been adopted a month after arrival in the United States. Tressler Lutheran agency in York, Pennsylvania, which deals with the placement of children with disabilities, to find a house to every orphaned child.
Betty has proved again that you can achieve everything you want, if you do not stop hearing the word "no" and show the necessary perseverance. Once said Dr. Tom Dooley, "it is necessary that ordinary people commit extraordinary case."
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