The Last Days Documentary Response

During the documentary, The Last Days, one speaker affected me emotionally and that was Renee. The anecdote of when she was taken from her home and was demanded to take only her most valuable items hit home. She decided to take only her bathing suit that her father had brought back from a trip he went on and it held so many memories, happy memories. This reminded me of my two stuffed elephant dolls that I was given when I was a baby. I have them still and they hold so many great memories for me. They would be two of my most valuable items. The second scene when she has brought back to her house that she lived in up until her family being taken to Auschwitz, impacted me immensely. The saying ‘you never know what you’ve got until it’s gone’ came to mind when she was taken back to this memory. Most kids, myself included, take advantage of what we have. We have houses, some don’t, some will never. This had an emotional effect on me because it showed me to appreciate what I have because it could be gone one day. Finally, the last impact Renee had on me was her desire to share her story. She wanted people to know how much hardship and grief she went through. Not out of self-pity, but of awareness and honor for those who died. It amazed me that after all she went through she still felt as though she had a purpose. She impacted me as a hero, not by being courageous or brave, but by not giving up and keeping her hope. Renee was the speaker that impacted me during the documentary because of how she held onto her memories with bathing suit, how she felt about coming back to her now not attended house, and how she still continues to share her story with those willing or not to