Honored as the first Hero of Forgiveness Thomas Takashi Tanemori He survived the Hiroshima atomic bombing at the tender age of eight while his parents, grandparents and two sisters perished. He later survived heart attacks, cancer and is now blind due to the radiation exposure from the bombs. Later he experienced an epiphany when driving to an anti-nuclear rally. A mushroom-shaped cloud stirred up memories of the atomic bomb and a white butterfly flew onto his car’s dashboard…and then he remembered the dream he had the night before the atomic bombing, of a crane and butterfly that would share the healing message of following the light within, where peace and forgiveness resided. Takashi has since founded the Silkworm Peace Institute, dedicating the foundation to promote forgiveness and peace in the world. He was awarded the Hero of Forgiveness recognition by the Worldwide Forgiveness Alliance, bestowed upon those who have courageously and dramatically stepped forward to demonstrate and exemplify the concept of forgiveness, reconciliation and peace. Hawaii Forgiveness Project |