A bronze statue honoring Sadako Sasaki, a 12-year-old victim of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, was stolen from a Seattle park over the weekend, according to local media reports. The statue, which commemorates Sasaki who died of leukemia caused by radiation exposure, was found severed from its ankles on Friday. The Seattle Police Department is investigating and has notified local scrap collectors. It is suspected that the thieves intended to sell the bronze rather than having any political motivations.
Titled “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes,” the sculpture stands over five feet tall and depicts Sasaki holding an origami crane, symbolizing hope and longevity. This represents one of the thousand cranes she folded in her hospital bed following the 1945 bombing by the United States. In Japanese culture, folding 1,000 cranes is believed to make one’s wish come true. Sadako died in 1955 and has since become an international symbol of peace.
The monument was erected in 1995 in Peace Park, located in Seattle’s University District. It was conceived by Floyd Schmoe, a Quaker activist and professor who passed away in 2001, and sculpted by Darryl Smith. The statue, a cherished part of the Seattle community, regularly has paper cranes laid at its feet by visitors. Sasaki is also honored with a monument in Hiroshima, Japan.
Avery Lockett, the great-great-grandson of Schmoe, expressed his dismay over the theft, telling the New York Times, “I thought that this had been like a personal attack on me. I am one of the only Schmoe people in Washington and the Seattle area that represents still what he’s for and why he even made that statue.”
The statue was previously targeted by vandals in 2003 when her arm was cut off. While the arm was repaired with donations, the current situation with the entire body missing presents a greater challenge. Lockett, a welder, has offered his services to create a replacement if the statue is not recovered.
The community mourns the loss of this beloved symbol and hopes for its swift return or replacement, continuing to honor Sadako Sasaki’s legacy of peace and resilience.
