Spirit of Football’s USA Ambassador Karli Stenger and her 3 children, joined our team, to meet Eva Schloss, MBE, – Holocaust survivor and Anne Frank’s step sister. This is what it meant to her:
“During our vacation in Europe this summer we have been lucky enough to waterski with world class skiers, play soccer (football for non- US-Americans) with professional soccer players, talk with prominent politicians and sports personalities and amazing people from around the world (we even saw the Queen!). However the most impressive human that we were lucky enough to meet was 93 year old Eva Schloss. Mrs. Schloss is a Holocaust survivor and was Anne Frank’s step sister. Her family was betrayed to the Nazis in 1944 and taken to Auschwitz, where her father and 15 year old brother, Heinz, were murdered.
She spoke to my children about the importance of inclusion and love for all. She spoke to them about teen depression and told them to enjoy every day of their beautiful young lives, as she lost her brother and all of her loved ones when she was their age. She spoke about kindness and equality and told them that money and “things “ are not important. It is the enjoyment of life and human connection that truly makes one happy. She also encouraged them and their friends to read her book and watch her movie “My Brother’s Gift” (about her brother, Heinz).
THIS was the most incredible encounter that my children may ever have. I hope that Mrs. Schloss’ words stay in their minds & hearts for a very long time.
My daughter Sailor made her a bracelet, you can see it on her right wrist.”
- Karli Richards Stenger, Spirit of Football USA Ambassador
