REPORTING From The Fox Tower is pleased to bring you the Facebook Live video broadcast from Facing West, which was carried live on Facebook, Saturday 29 April.
Caitlin and Sidney have featured on this blog previously, when the first post they featured in was 'Now Playing: Facing West', which you can view HERE. Two further posts followed, one of which was New Year's Day 2017, which featured the 'Auld Lang Syne' video. You will find that post by clicking HERE - Scroll down the post (from the Carlisle United Football Club feature) to see the video.
The most recent post was January 8, 2017, titled 'Introducing Facing West', which you can view HERE.
The beauty of Facebook Live is that anything could happen - And usually does!
AS the reverberations of the events in Paris continue, one survivor of the attack on Le Bataclan Theatre has given hope to the world, following a Facebook status update. That survivor is Isobel Bowdery. Isobel's post also showed the world that, despite the horror, the most beautiful love story can be found in the darkest of moments.
This was Isobel's personal Facebook profile picture in the aftermath of the Paris attacks, the face of the survivor whose status update would be read, liked, commented upon and shared all over the world. The status update was given a like by Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook.
Isobel was attending the Eagles of Death Metal concert at Le Bataclan Theatre with her boyfriend Amaury Baudoin. They were separated during the attack, but were reunited on the streets of Paris in the early hours of the Saturday morning. Here are Isobel's words, from her Facebook status update, which introduced her to the world.
"you
never think it will happen to you. It was just a friday night at a rock show.
the atmosphere was so happy and everyone was dancing and smiling. and then when
the men came through the front entrance and began the shooting, we naiively
believed it was all part of the show. It wasn't just a terrorist attack, it was
a massacre. Dozens of people were shot right infront of me. Pools of blood
filled the floor. Cries of grown men who held their girlfriends dead bodies
pierced the small music venue. Futures demolished, families heartbroken. in an
instant. Shocked and alone, I pretended to be dead for over an hour, lying
among people who could see their loved ones motionless.. Holding my breath,
trying to not move, not cry - not giving those men the fear they longed to see.
I was incredibly lucky to survive. But so many didn't. The people who had been
there for the exact same reasons as I - to have a fun friday night were
innocent. This world is cruel. And acts like this are suppose to highlight the
depravity of humans and the images of those men circuling us like vultures will
haunt me for the rest of my life. The way they meticoulsy aimed at shot people
around the standing area i was in the centre of without any consideration for
human life. It didn't feel real. i expected any moment for someone to say it
was just a nightmare. But being a survivor of this horror lets me able to shed
light on the heroes. To the man who reassured me and put his life on line to
try and cover my brain whilst i whimpered, to the couple whose last words of
love kept me believing the good in the world, to the police who succeded in
rescuing hundreds of people, to the complete strangers who picked me up from
the road and consoled me during the 45 minutes I truly believed the boy i loved
was dead, to the injured man who i had mistaken for him and then on my
recognition that he was not Amaury, held me and told me everything was going to
be fine despite being all alone and scared himself, to the woman who opened her
doors to the survivors, to the friend who offered me shelter and went out to
buy new clothes so i wouldnt have to wear this blood stained top, to all of you
who have sent caring messages of support - you make me believe this world has
the potential to be better. to never let this happen again. but most of this is
to the 80 people who were murdered inside that venue, who weren't as lucky, who
didnt get to wake up today and to all the pain that their friends and families
are going through. I am so sorry. There's nothing that will fix the pain. I
feel priviledged to be there for their last breaths. And truly beliving that I
would join them, I promise that their last thoughts were not on the animals who
caused all this. It was thinking of the people they loved. As i lay down in the
blood of strangers and waiting for my bullet to end my mere 22 years, I
envisioned every face that I have ever loved and whispered I love you. over and
over again. reflecting on the highlights of my life. Wishing that those i love
knew just how much, wishing that they knew that no matter what happened to me,
to keep belieivng in the good in people. to not let those men win. Last night,
the lives of many were forever changed and it is up to us to be better people.
to live lives that the innocent victims of this tragedy dreamt about but sadly
will now never be able to fulfil. RIP angels. You will never be forgotten."
Isobel and Amaury went on to give an interview to Anderson Cooper on CNN, which is what I shall close this post with. Take a moment to think about those closest to you; We do not know what hand fate could deal us at any moment. Isobel and Amaury are the lucky ones. May their luck, and love, stand them in good stead for the future.
THIS week, Wallpaper of the Week brings you another image from the Facebook account of the amazing Maria Sharapova. The image is a still from a video Miss Sharapova posted on Facebook and on her Social Channel, as she prepared for training on a Saturday morning in October 2013. Maria's official Facebook channel can be found here.
TAKING you back to September 1st, 2013, to a beautiful sunset in the Caribbean. The lady in the photograph is the magnificent Miss Maria Sharapova, and it is from her official Facebook account that I have shared this photograph as Wallpaper of the Week. Enjoy.
WELCOME to the latest posting here on RFTFT, autumn is taking hold, the leaves on the ground and the rain is no longer 'gentle' but 'lashing'. Television has reverted to the autumn schedule - Yes, 'Strictly Come Dancing' and 'The X Factor' now rule your weekends. The football season is now over two months old, with FA Cup fixtures every other week for the non league clubs and the England team are one match - v Poland - away from qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Parents are delighted as the school year is under way and Channel 4 reflect this with the series 'Educating Yorkshire', which focuses on a pupil named Sheridan and her colourful use of the English language, as well as the deputy head teacher, Mr Steer, who is allergic to everything. This post has used italics six times and that's enough. People to see and stuff to do and all that, as always, if you have visited this blog for the first time, welcome and please return again soon. Also thank you to those who visit this blog via the links on my Twitter and Facebook accounts, would you like to add this blog as one of your favourites? If you do, then thank you once again.
