Mailing Him


Sesay covered everything in the mail. She began with how her daughter got struck with the life-risking illness. She apologized in her letter for troubling him. The woman did not know if the recipient was the same man or not but she sent the letter anyway and started expecting a response.  

A Reply

Amazingly, Sesay finally got a reply. Perriello reverted with confirmation that it was him only who had helped her out in her tragic situation in 2003.  She was all surprised when his reply reached her. She said, “I jumped out of my seat.”     

Not The Same

Many things had changed over the years. Perriello had made a successful career both in public service and politics by now. Not only that, he had even led the center’s advocacy endeavourings in the direction of American progress. Thereafter, he went on to serve as a congressman for the state of Virginia. He even got the opportunity to serve as a special envoy under the Obama Administration. He was employed in the State Department. The list does not end here. In 2017, he even made a try for the Virginia governorship.

Came A Long Way

In 2003, Perriello had taken up the job of a spokesperson and adviser for the United Nations. On that very day, he flew to Sierra Leone to participate in a U.N. war crimes tribunal. This particular panel was given the task of prosecuting people involved in committing human rights abuses during the civil war.    

Bad News

When Sesay approached Perriello in the airport, the man was already struggling with two bad news. Firstly, it was the death of his grandmother and secondly, the fact that tribunal was going to charge Charles Taylor, Liberia’s dictator for his wrongdoings. Perriello, later on, explained, “It was in some ways the worst possible emotional space to be in.”    

Vivid Memory


Perriello explained, “It’s an incredibly vivid memory that seems like something out of a movie. It just wasn’t clear if it was a happy or a sad movie.” He remembered he “was literally working multiple phones” to figure out his own travel plans when Sesay approached him.