Compared to Irene Gut Opdyke, my life is as simple and easy as cracking an egg. Although I struggle with my disabled mother, handle school work, work as a waitress, and maintain involvement in numerous extracurriculars, my daily toils are menial and forgettable. The imagery of Irene’s graphic experiences will leave a stain in my memory forever, and I can’t picture living life normally with those events in my past. Irene’s courage and sacrifice shown throughout her tale are inspirational and astonishing. I first noticed Irene’s courage when she willingly volunteered to go with the Polish army toward the German front and work as an assistant nurse. She had already seen the carnage of the entire city of Radom, but she risked more to help …show more content…
The people who sacrifice the most in our society are police officers and the members of the military, but it is difficult to compare these professions with the high caliber of sacrifice associated with anti-Holocaust and anti-war efforts during World War II. Irene Gut Opdyke cared little for herself, but for others, she sacrificed her innocence, her safety, her reputation, and her happiness. She stopped at nothing to do the right thing for innocent people who deserved good lives and to simply be alive. The event that truly made me reevaluate my idea of sacrifice was when Irene had seven to twelve Jewish people living in the basement of Major Rugemer’s villa. She had a good job, she was respected by the Major, and she was well fed for a Polish servant, yet she sacrificed all these luxuries to devote her efforts to helping her friends. She went so far as to sacrifice her morals by sleeping with the Major to keep him quiet about the Jewish people living under his nose. Though I found her services for the Major were baby barf-inducing, I found her courage to complete them all the more