Behind a glass case at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is a battered and rusted tricycle.
The little tricycle, which was once colored bright red, belonged to a three-year-old boy named Shinichi Tetsutani.
No matter how much Shin cried or sulked, there was nothing his father could do.
To Shins surprise and delight, it was a tricycle.
Shins uncle, who was in the Navy, had found it hidden and forgotten behind his closet.
Knowing Shin was asking for a tricycle, he wrapped it in paper and presented it to Shin.
Shinichi Tetsutani with his elder sister.
Shin and Kimi often rode the tricycle around the yard, running, laughing, and giggling.
Passersby commented how beautiful and cheerful the children looked.
Shins family house collapsed pinning down the children, including his two elder sisters, Michiko and Yoko.
Shin was rescued from under the rubble.
His face was bleeding and swollen, but his hand still held the red handlebar grip from his tricycle.
Kimi was nowhere to be found.
Shins family joined the other survivors at the river bank.
Shin did not survive that night.
He was ten days short of his fourth birthday.
Forty years later, Shins father decided to move his sons remains to the family gravesite.
When his parents dug up the little bodies, Shins father was surprised to find the tricycle.
He had completely forgotten about it.
As he gently lifted Shins tricycle, his father thought, This should never happen to children.
Shins story was brought to light through a childrens book titledShin’s Tricycleby Tatsuharu Kodama published in 1992. you’re free to read the entire story (its a short one),here.
