US

Va. Teacher is First American Tsunami Victim Identified in Japan

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo has tentatively identified the body of Taylor Anderson, a 24-year-old English teacher from Virginia. According to the Associated Press, Anderson is believed to be the first identified American victim of the earthquake and tsunami disasters.

Anderson was fluent in Japanese and was teaching English in one of the country’s coastal cities when the massive tsunami struck. Nearly 13,000 people are believed to be missing in the devastating earthquake and tsunami aftermath.

Taylor’s parents had not heard from their daughter since that fateful day and released a statement Monday with the distressing news.

“It is with deep regret that we inform you that earlier this morning we received a call from the U.S. Embassy in Japan that they had found our beloved Taylor’s body. We would like to thank all those whose prayers and support have carried us through this crisis. Please continue to pray for all who remain missing and for the people of Japan. We ask that you respect our privacy during this hard time,” the statement said.

Va. Teacher is First American Tsunami Victim Identified in Japan

Anderson had been teaching in the city of Ishinomaki — about 240 miles north of Tokyo — for the past two and a half years as part of the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. Ishinomaki is located in the Miyagi Prefecture, a coastal area that took the full force of the tsunami.

After ensuring parents retrieved each of her students following the earthquake, Taylor was last seen as she rode her bicycle from the school toward her apartment before the tsunami struck.

Once word reached her home community in Virginia, neighbors and friends organized a grassroots internet-based search for Taylor, sending her picture and information to contacts in Japan. At least 4,500 tweets were sent out in an effort to spread word about the missing teacher.

The Anderson family previously received news that Taylor was safe and in a shelter, but that information was wrong.

Jean Anderson said her daughter fell in love with Japanese culture when she was just a child. After becoming fluent in Japanese, she was accepted into a teaching program and moved there. “The people are lovely and gracious,” she said. “We knew she was happy, and we were happy for her.”

“She enjoyed her life there,” Mrs. Anderson told NHK World. During a visit home, Taylor had brought wind chimes home as a gift from Japan.

“When we hear the bells ringing, when we hear the wind chimes ringing, we say it’s Taylor talking to us,” she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Comments (35)

  • bakatare
    Posted on July 8, 2012 at 3:54am

    @TheNoodleFish – You seem to want Christians to live honest and authentic lives. I agree with you that many people wear the label without demonstrating true faith and humility when nobody is looking. I think we should all strive to serve God in an honest and open way. I encourage you to do so as well. Have a nice day.

    Report Post » bakatare  
  • torro1212
    Posted on March 22, 2011 at 10:58pm

    god bless her and her family.

    Report Post » torro1212  
  • glennrocks
    Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:40am

    She is a real hero. She stayed at the school until all the parents picked up their kids. Unlike the teachers in Wisconsin who left their classes and sold their souls for money.

    Report Post »  
  • VApatriot2
    Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:21am

    Our sincerest sympathies to this young woman’s family. You are in our thoughts and prayers.

    Report Post » VApatriot2  
  • southerngal
    Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:36am

    Would you be praying for her if she were a crack addict who was robbing a house when it got hit? or do teachers deserve a special recogition. I know that a terrible comparison but Blaze put teacher in the mix instead of just an american. go ahead and blast away

    Report Post »  
    • CountMeIn
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 2:17pm

      I believe most of us here also have sympathy for an addict but of a different type. There we see a life that never came to fruition due to succumbing to temptations flaunted by the liberal progressive side of our culture. We pray that they can overcome the ties that bind them.

      On the other hand, Taylor was fulfilling her potential through teaching other and being a positive force for the world. The fact that she put the well-being of the children in her care first says it all. We feel sadness for her loss. May other young people live up to her positive example and become a force for good in the world.

      Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on March 22, 2011 at 7:43am

    Very sad, my heart goes out to her parents.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
  • justice
    Posted on March 22, 2011 at 5:13am

    A very accomplished young women it seems. She should be remembered that she was doing what she loved, and the family can have cherished memories of this. Hopefully through through the grace of god her teachings are still going on.

    Report Post »  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:45am

    i am praying for all the families that will be facing this. im afraid the numbers of dead will reach more than 20,000 when all said and done. that is a huge toll on the fabric of society, and many a tear shall be shed before this is over

    God help them through this event in their lives

    Report Post » Psychosis  
  • Politicus
    Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:30am

    “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

    Report Post » Politicus  
  • sissykatz
    Posted on March 21, 2011 at 11:21pm

    May the good Lord be with her family and friends at this terrible time. Their consolation is that she was where she wanted to be and doing what she wanted to do. A young life cut short.

    Report Post »  
  • Showtime
    Posted on March 21, 2011 at 11:16pm

    Oh, that is so sad. And she got her students out before the tsunami hit. We don’t know yet how they fared, though. This teacher seemed to be a beautiful example of God’s love. I pray for her family and for the victims of Japan’s numerous disasters.

    Report Post » Showtime  
    • pattybbb1
      Posted on March 21, 2011 at 11:42pm

      agreed.

      Report Post »  
    • 82dAirborne
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:25am

      And to think that there are thousands of tragic stories like this from this one event. Most will never be told publicly. Add to that the reactor accidents – who knows how much worse this thing will become.

      Report Post » 82dAirborne  
  • FLyoverman
    Posted on March 21, 2011 at 11:12pm

    Parents should never have to bury their children. Their daughter was teaching; representing all that was good about herself, her family and her country. I am sorry she died, but I am glad her parents know her fate and can take care her remains in a manner that will hopefully provide them some degree of comfort. May God ease their pain and bless them always.

    Report Post »  
  • flagbearer
    Posted on March 21, 2011 at 11:10pm

    Deepest condolences to the parents and family. Taylor sounds like she was a very special person indeed.

    Report Post »  
  • Miami
    Posted on March 21, 2011 at 11:09pm

    God rest her soul

    Report Post » Miami  
  • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
    Posted on March 21, 2011 at 11:09pm

    Sometimes we get so wrapped up in watching the other hand, we forget the real important things in life. God Bless everyone.

    Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
  • MODEL82A1
    Posted on March 21, 2011 at 11:07pm

    SO, when the the following statement was made on April 11th 2011, “The US has accounted for ”most all” of Americans known to be in Japan after the country was hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami Friday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said.”, it was as willfully deceptive as anyone could have predicted.

    Report Post » MODEL82A1  
  • poverty.sucks
    Posted on March 21, 2011 at 11:07pm

    I hope she accepted Christ in her life!

    Report Post » poverty.sucks  
    • banjarmon
      Posted on March 21, 2011 at 11:11pm

      May God be with her family…

      Report Post » banjarmon  
    • The Noodle Fish
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:01am

      So.. let me get this straight. A woman dies due to a terrible natural calamity. The ONLY thing that matters, is whether or not she lives eternally in Heaven, a wonderful paradise that Christians and Jews believe in. Really? Christians claim to resent materialism and personal pleasure, but isn’t Heaven just a never-ending lifetime of happiness? Is the only reason you should convert to Christianity, that you should go to heaven? I am not at all attacking the concept of Heaven. It is a beautiful idea, true or not. But I feel like it should be earned, rather than bought.

      Many Christians I have met worry about the fate of my eternal soul. They will even claim that they are not worried about their eventual death, because they will go to Heaven.

      Point A: I do not care if I die and go to a place of eternal torment and suffering, a place of eternal happiness and light, or if I simply turn to dust and experience nothing after I am lowered 6 feet under the ground.

      Point B: Is the fact that you are Christian, therefore you are going to heaven, now used as a taunt? It seems like every time somebody brings up the topic of eternal damnation vs. Heaven, they’re pointing out that they already have a free ticket in. I know that you will say “It’s not free! You are required to follow God’s teachings!” But I’m sorry, most Christians today are not even close to being observant of those commandments.

      I pray. I pray for this woman’s family. But I will not waste time wishing that a woman I have never met had made a choice, that it is now too late to make, that I do not even consider necessary.

      Report Post » The Noodle Fish  
    • Robert-CA
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:20am

      @ THE NOODLE FISH

      I don’t think that this was necessary for a situation like this .
      I think that we’ll all agree on this ” Taylor Anderson R.I.P “

      Report Post » Robert-CA  
    • 82dAirborne
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:21am

      @Noodle Fish
      Wow. Quite a post.
      You don’t care if you go to a place or eternal damnation? Might want to rethink that one. Ever consider the possibility that some of the really good people around here do care about what happens to you even if you don’t? Why give those same people a hard time?
      (If the turning to dust thing is true then you are correct: nothing to worry about)
      I don’t see anyone taunting anyone around here with one exception -> you.

      “Most Christians are not even close to being observant……..” You must be one really smart son of a gun to KNOW what is in the hearts and minds of sooooo many other people. If you can do that I sure don’t want to play poker with you!
      You want to sound so logical and condescending. You said you would “pray” for this poor woman’s family. To whom would you pray? What would you “pray” for? If it’s a waste of time why would you even attempt it?

      For the most part all I have read in this thread is sympathy, concern and good wishes. Yet your post seems to be confrontational. Why would that be? Speaking only for myself I am jealous of the strength and comfort these folks find in their beliefs. Could that be true for you also?

      I absolutely love to debate/argue and even fight (verbally) about politics and issues. I can see no point or reason to go out of my way to belittle a person’s religious beliefs. Do you get some sort of payoff in doing so?

      My sincerest condolences for the young woman and her family and friends. And you too Noodle Fish.

      Report Post » 82dAirborne  
    • GETLIFE
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 5:05am

      @82DAIRBORNE: Read it again, POVERTY’S Comment has not an ounce of sympathy or good wishes. I‘ve noticed POVERTY’S fakey ultra- Christian comments before. He/she thinks he/she is cleverly discrediting Christians from within.

      Report Post » GETLIFE  
    • The Noodle Fish
      Posted on March 23, 2011 at 8:21pm

      @82DAIRBORNE

      I am a Deist. I believe in a God. I don’t refer, obviously, to every single Christian when I say they are not close to being observant. I base that statement on the fact that this nation is a Christian, and yet promiscuity ( among Christian teens) is rampant. Even if you say that those people only claim to be Christian, and are not truly Christian, they make up the majority of churches and, indeed, the nation itself. I have no problems with “true” Christians, only the ones that make statements and proclamations in the name of that religion, while choosing to ignore its doctrines.

      So, 82DAIRBORNE, every night, I pray to God. The one true God.

      Report Post » The Noodle Fish  
  • TruthTalker
    Posted on March 21, 2011 at 11:04pm

    Terrible situation. I will say a prayer for her family. Lord please watch over her soul.

    Report Post »  
    • Thatsitivehadenough
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:16am

      How sad. My condolences to her family and friends. She looks so lovely and so happy in this photograph.

      Report Post » Thatsitivehadenough  
    • CatB
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:19am

      Condolences to the family .. may they find peace in knowing she was following her dreams.

      Report Post »  
    • bullcrapbuster
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 12:31am

      Email from LDS family in Japan with advice to us all

      This was sent to a friend of ours March 13, and I’ve edited out names, they felt we could learn from this experience about a ‘real’ emergency. Hope it helps someone here.
      Hi Everyone,
      We’re doing “fine” here. Considering what is going on around us.
      When the first big quake hit, around 2:45 in the afternoon on Friday,
      I ran to ***** room and grabbed him out of his crib. We’ve had
      plenty of earthquakes in the 2.5 years we’ve been here, but this one
      was huge. ***** started crying and calling for me –I got him too and
      we huddled on the stairs away from windows and light fixtures. The
      two boys were walking home from school and came in while the
      house was still shaking. They thought it was exciting. I yelled at
      them to “GET BACK OUTSIDE!” because I‘d just been told if you’re
      outside, you’re supposed to stay outside! I sat on the stairs
      praying: “Please protect my kids, please protect my kids, please
      protect my kids…” It seemed to last forever (around 5 minutes I’ve
      heard) and then the aftershocks just kept coming and coming. They’re
      still coming.

      They evacuated the hospital and **** was able to come home around 4.
      [I can't tell you what a relief it was to have my whole entire family
      safe and together. And how upsetting it was/is to think of people
      all over Japan who have family unaccounted for. It's really hard for
      me whenever one of the husbands has to leave.]

      Since then, the power has been out and we haven’t had any heat or
      access to phones (to the states) or Internet (except ***** getting one
      e-mail out from the hospital.) Friday evening we moved our friends
      in with us (**** and **** and three kids) since they just shipped all
      of their stuff to the states in preparation for their move in two
      weeks. It’s been nice to have them around because everyone is on
      edge and extremely stressed.

      Yesterday (Saturday) they opened the commissary (No lights, cash
      only) and we grabbed some extra food, water and diapers. Since we
      have the standard Mormon “food storage” I wasn’t too worried about
      running out of food or water, but I didn’t have any spare diapers so
      was happy to buy three big boxes yesterday for *****. (And yes,
      I bought two big cans of hot chocolate. Priorities, people!)

      We went to church for a shortened meeting to take the sacrament and
      get the news today. All members of the branch have been accounted
      for and we’ve heard that all the missionaries in Japan are accounted
      for also. (Big relief.)

      The power is now back on off-base which is how I have Internet access
      right now. We’re at ***** house. Hopefully it stays on.

      We were asked at church to see
      what extra coats, blankets, food and water we can round up to donate
      to the Japanese people nearby. I feel heart sick thinking of those
      who’ve lost homes and loved ones. Although you probably know much
      more than me, I hear the devastation is extremely great. We were
      lucky to be so safe on base and grateful our off-base friends and
      neighbors were okay.

      The earthquakes (aftershocks) haven’t stopped and I spent all night
      last night having nightmares about running from collapsing and
      buckling buildings. The kids are on edge and tantrums are at an all
      time high. They keep busy playing during the day, but when it gets
      dark and we have to ration flashlights and candles it gets extra hard
      to keep the peace.

      A few things I’ve been wanting to tell people and note for the
      future:

      *Get an old school, corded phone. If the power goes out, your
      cordless won’t work. We were lucky to have a corded phone upstairs
      which helped ***** coordinate with the Branch President to get
      accountability of church members. (The phones have worked on-base
      off and on, but we were never able to get a call through to the
      states.)

      *Speaking of accountability, in an emergency, if you’re going to
      leave your house–leave a note on the door saying where you are going
      so when guys from church or work coming looking, they’ll know where
      you are.

      *When the power went out, people off base couldn’t get their cars out
      of their garage. Turns out there is a special crank to use but most
      of our friends didn’t have it or know what it was. Luckily ***** had
      parked outside and was able to get her kids to our house Friday.

      *We’ve been cooking with our camping equipment. Note to self: Buy a
      20 pack of small propane tanks. We’ve also used our outdoor BBQ (in
      the cold) and I’m wishing I had a spare tank of Propane for that.
      (We still don‘t have power and don’t know when it will come back on
      On Base. Estimates have said 24 hours (we’re way past that) to 1
      week, to indefinite.)

      *Do you have an extra refill of your prescriptions in your 72 hour
      kit? It’s terrifying to imagine running out of the things you take
      every day. Also, the thought of my kids getting sick and not having
      enough Children’s Advil and/or Tylenol made me pretty nervous until I
      verified we had some of each.

      *For ONCE I was glad to be doing Dave Ramsey yesterday when we had
      plenty of cash on hand to shop at the commissary. But we also have a
      cash and yen emergency fund hidden in the house for back-up which was
      very comforting.

      *While I’m making notes to myself: Buy a hand crank wheat grinder
      and blender! (We have a freezer full of frozen fruit to make
      smoothies but no way to blend anything.)

      *Flashlights are a pain in my butt. All of our stupid Rayovac
      crappy-**** batteries that I had stored for an emergency, LEAKED! So
      the flashlights are all slowly dying, being over used by the
      children, and being misplaced. The best source of light the last two
      nights has been the pillar candles I’ve had in the cupboard for fancy
      table settings. They seem to burn pretty slow and shed a lot of
      light. I’ve gone through 3 and have 1 left. Wish I had a 20 pack of
      those in my 72 hour pack. It would be nice not to worry about
      running out. Small, light weight, energy efficient lanterns would be
      nice too.

      *Also, my next house will have a wood burning fire place. This all
      would have been much easier if we could have been warm.

      *Also, I’m buying all my kids a down comforter. We have one on our
      bed and we’ve been fine at night, but the kids need 20 blankets piled
      up to stay warm. (Actually, the older boys each have a two layer
      fleece blanket which is pretty warm, but unfortunately, they’re not
      very big.)

      (Poor little ***** had to spend yesterday in his snow suit to stay
      warm. The poor little guy must be sensing the stress because he’s
      been quite out of sorts. He’s always shivering (even when bundled)
      and very clingy. The kids are all confused and upset but mostly
      hanging in there. Like I said, it’s been nice to have friends to
      keep us company.)

      Sorry, I‘m rambling on and on but I’ve had all this stress for the
      last two days and my main way to process is by writing my thoughts
      down. So I’ve been going a little nuts feeling so disconnected.

      A few more random thoughts:
      *The last two days this thought kept running through my head “All are
      safely gathered in.”. I can’t express enough how glad I was/am to
      have my family around me. Please say a prayer for our many many
      friends with deployed spouses. This is a very stressful time here
      and it’s really sucky for them to be apart. Also, please pray for
      all the Japanese people who are missing or displaced. So sad.

      *We were very blessed on base to have running (freezing cold) water.
      Off base, sewer lines broke and contaminated the water supply they
      weren’t even supposed to touch it.

      *Today we sang “I Need Thee Every Hour” at church. Has a lot of
      meaning right now.

      Okay, there are other people who need to use this computer. Everyone
      on base is coming off base to try to contact family.

      ***** husband (Pilot) is at work trying to coordinate rescue efforts
      so I should go down and help her take care of the multitude of
      children and get everyone some lunch.

      Please pray for us (us being everyone in Japan) and if you feel so
      inclined, find a way to send some warm blankets to people who’ve lost
      their homes. Don‘t know when I’ll be back on-line again, but
      hopefully soon.

      Thanks to everyone for your concern. I knew (figured) there were
      people praying for us back in the states and it helped to think about

      Louise

      Report Post » bullcrapbuster  
    • No1YaKnow
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 5:21am

      What a beautiful young woman, inside and out. To be that young and pursuing your passion even though it separates you from the ones you love. God bless her family and our prayers go out to them.

      Report Post » Marci  
    • GETLIFE
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 5:33am

      My truly heartfelt sympathy is with her family and friends.
      When I was Taylor’s age, I was doing exactly what she was doing–teaching in Japan. These were absolutely magnificent years in my life. I’m sure she was indeed happy and fulfilled in her life there.

      Report Post » GETLIFE  
    • grandmaof5
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:37am

      Not many people die doing what they love, and while this is a very tragic story, this beautiful girl gave so much of herself to her students. I hope the windchimes continue to sing and comfort her parents and family. God has another angel.

      Report Post »  
    • Creestof
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:38am

      @bullcrapbuster

      Thanks for that…a lot of useful information in there. I will pray for this young lady who lost her adventurous life so soon, and for her family.

      Report Post »  
    • GONESURFING
      Posted on March 22, 2011 at 3:37pm

      Very sad, so much sadness in Japan now. Many prayers for Japan.

      Report Post » GONESURFING  

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