We have no idea how Leon Poplawski’s voice made its way to El barco del arroz. But, as he himself would say, “so it was”. And hearing his story told with this level of closeness is a priceless privilege.

León’s account is reminiscent of other sadly similar testimonies that we may have heard elsewhere. However, there is something unique here in the way it is communicated: although the context is not clear to us, in León’s expressions there is sense of confidence and intimacy that adds an extra layer of humanity to the already overwhelming events. In the end, it’s not so much a story about who did what, but an affirmation of the ability to summon a kind of courage we never imagined we had.