Marla Ruzicka was a humble, quiet and thoughtful young woman, far from the “ditsy blond” I read about in the beginning of the book “Sweet Relief, the Marla Ruzicka Story” by Jennifer Abrahamson (Simon & Schuster, September 2006). I knew Marla Ruzicka in Lake County and sang at a number of parties given by Nancy, Marla”s mother. I have always had a great respect for the family and the struggles they have gone through.
When I saw Marla by chance in Lakeport, we would talk about her travels and latest efforts. Marla recognized me as a fellow activist with a similar mind and kindred spirit, and shared her most recent trips and efforts. Marla didn”t go into detail and was not into bragging or bold talk, but she always listened and sympathized with me with an open mind. Later, Nancy would see me in the Lakeport bank we both used and shared Marla”s latest adventures. Nancy and Cliff supported Marla and her twin brother Mark, although they did not always share her view of the world. As time went by, Marla, Nancy and Cliff came closer together with their ideals and learned from each other.
Lori McGuire, Marla”s high school teacher and inspiration, remembered in an interview that Marla incorporated the best of both parents. “Like Nancy, Marla was always going at life 90 miles a minute. At the same time she had her father Cliff”s determination and strength.”
The author of “Sweet Relief,” Jennifer Abrahamson, also changed in her attitude toward Marla as the book progresses. Abrahamson worked hard, interviewing more than 150 people. The reader gets a very real, personal picture of Afghanistan and Iraq at war and chaos and Marla”s life and changes, failures and achievements.
When in Washington, after receiving national media attention for demonstrating in Kabul, Afghanistan with war victims outside the American Embassy, Marla worked with Bobby Muller, chairman of the Washington-based Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation; and Tim Rieser, toning down her approach to U.S. legislatures and the military. She learned to network and worked together with the government and the military to get help for civilian victims of war.
We often wonder just what one individual can accomplish in this period of chaos and strife. Marla has helped us to see that the individual can make a big difference. She inspired U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy to sponsor legislation that changed the course of history and now the U.S. supports assisting innocent civilians harmed by U.S. military operations.
Following her death from a suicide bomber on April 16, 2005, President Bush established the Marla Ruzicka War Victims” Fund that now totals $50 million.
Beginning as a protester, Marla developed into a humanitarian, networking with soldiers to locate undetonated cluster bombs and coordinated flying wounded children to hospitals.
Nancy Ruzicka shared that in one video Marla is part of the generals” early morning consultations, giving input to generals who listened to her assessment of what to do that day. In the book she apologized to countless indigenous people for the harm done to them by bombs and war efforts.
She gained support for her cause by networking with journalists. Her ability to throw parties reminds me of her mother Nancy”s bustling around at her entertainment endeavors, which were often fund-raisers.
Each of us has her own skeletons in our closets and Abrahamson writes honestly about Marla”s moods, her drinking and her anorexia. Marla faced herself honestly and in the end, greeted each new day with hope and resolve. If anything, she was too hard on herself.
At the end of the book, having faced her own demons, Marla tried to stay away from the dangers in Iraq, but ultimately she followed her heart and continued her work, risking her life every day to help others. She did what no one else did. She was herself.
Marla made a difference. We can too. The DVDs Nancy showed me of Marla working overseas days before she and her faithful driver and translator Faiz were blown up by a suicide bomber, depicts a slim, beautiful young woman with an illuminated face and combed hair, not a “frantic, hyper, California mop-headed blond.” The cover of the book, however, shows Marla and the soldiers she worked with in the heat and the dust of the dessert. She was there. The picture on the cover shows Marla”s intensity. Abrahamson brings out the reality of Marla Ruzicka, the book that Marla had asked her to write when she was still with us. Abrahamson was honest and real, painstaking in her writing and recording. Marla comes forth in the book with al her strengths and boldness, and tears, weakness, hopes and dreams. We are grateful to them both.
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