When news of the Paris terrorism attacks on Friday, Nov. 13, reached America, Madame Kim Rouvelin and her husband Monsieur Theirry Rouvelin feared for their family and friends in Paris.

Mme. Rouvelin (Mme. is the French abbreviation for Madame) teaches French at Kearsley.

Once the Rouvelins contacted their son, learning that he and his family were safe, they were relieved, according to M. Rouvelin (M. is the French abbreviation for Monsieur).

“Our son Olivier is in Paris,” M. Rouvelin said. “His wife and children are fine.”

M. Rouvelin, 59, grew up in France and has citizenship in France, Canada, and the United States.

Even though Paris is calm, he continues to be concerned for his son and son’s family.

“I am worried, of course, because he has to travel into Paris from the suburbs for work,” M. Rouvelin said.

After learning that Olivier had tickets to a concert on Saturday, Nov. 14, the Rouvelins were apprehensive but were later relieved when the concert was cancelled.

M. Rouvelin said, “Saturday night he (Olivier) was to go to the Foo Fighters concert, a different venue, not the Bataclan, and it was cancelled.”

The Bataclan was a theater attacked by the terrorists where at least 89 people were killed, according to the British newspaper the Daily Mail.

Mme. Rouvelin also frets for Parisians but believes the French government will protect its citizens.

“The government has vowed to fight and find the people related to these attacks who are still out there and bring them to justice,” she said.

Even though France has been attacked, Mme. Rouvelin still believes its citizens will rise and become stronger.

“The people of France are worried and yet strong,” she said. “They will stand up for liberty, fraternity, and equality as is their motto.”

The image is from flickr.

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