Five years ago, the 26/11 terror attacks changed Kia Scherr’s life forever. Scherr, a US national, lost her teenage daughter Naomi and husband Alan, who were in the Trident Hotel for a 10-day meditation retreat.
The tragic news reached Scherr two days later. “That day, even I died along with them,” says Scherr.
She just couldn’t bring herself to come to terms with the loss and emptiness that engulfed her life. Her life till then was all about her family. She soon realised that it was ‘forgiveness’, which could free her from the shackles of pain and anguish.
“What was the point of holding such a toxic fuel? It’s like taking poison and hoping your enemies would die. So, I chose to forgive them,” she says.
In the next few months, Scherr decided to put her life together for a new mission – to spread the message of peace and compassion. She founded One Life Alliance, an NGO, in 2009 in the memory of her family. It is operational both in Mumbai and parts of US.
“There is a breakdown of peace when there is a lack of respect for life. The purpose of the organisation is to spread the word that everyone should respect the dignity of life,” says 56-year-old Scherr, who first visited India in 2010.
She is not only promoting peace in India but also in Pakistan, from where the perpetrators came. From a reserved homemaker, Scherr has come a long way in her efforts to propagate peace. “I can’t forget what happened to my family. We need to work harder till we achieve our goal,” she says.
Another survivor of 26/11, Dilip Mehta, is supporting Scherr’s initiative. “After suffering so much, it requires courage to do what she is doing. We will support her whole-heartedly,” said Mehta.
Scherr has also written a 30-day pledge book, which talks about the importance of peace, compassion and honouring the dignity of life. She harbours no anxiety visiting the city, where she lost everything. “I feel safe here. I lost my family here and it is like my second home. I feel people are more receptive here,” she says.
But doesn’t she find the US a safer place to live? “The US faces other kinds of terror attacks, but I feel every country tries its best to curb such activities,” she adds.
Scherr feels that making the community strong, spreading love and compassion among people could possibly fetch India a better position in the Global Peace Index. India ranks low at 141 in this year’s Global Peace Index (GPI) that measured peace in 162 countries.
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