A moving story from the devastating earthquake in Zakynthos in 1953: A young officer who later became US Secretary of State and the mysterious “Zante Girl. The story comes again to spotlight, after the former US Secretary of State, James Baker III, sent a letter and pictures to the now 71-year-old Jovanna Vithoulka. The two had met during the earthquake that hit the islands of Zakynthos, Kefalonia and Ithaka in 1953.
James Baker was an officer of 23 years old deployed to the earthquake-stricken islands to help. On Zakynthos he met the little blond girl that remained in his memory as the mysterious “Zante girl.”
Having located and identified the girl with the help of a Greek family from Houston in November 2018,, the former State Secretary wrote a letter to Vithoulka last January.
Baker attached to the letter also four pictures from 1953, including one of “Zante girl” together with her uncle Spyros and one of him as young marine officer.
Vithoulka’s excitement and surprise were overwhelming, when a friend read and translated to her Baker’s letter.
The “Zante girl” wished Baker would come visit Zakynthos so that she could return the gratitude with local food and wine.
The search for the “Zante girl” started in 2018.
According to local media zantetimes, Baker recalled that the little girl was then assisted by him when he was on the island as a marine officer. He didn’t know where she was or if she was still alive. His only wish was to see her again. He didn’t even know her name or even if she was still lived in Zakynthos.
Three Greek ladies, the Christie sisters from Houston, were the ones who thought of a solution and made an effort to help Baker. They had been Baker’s friend for years. The Christie sisters started their searched on the internet and their posts finally made news on pappaspost.com. The post on pappaspost.com reached Louise Morfis who lives on the island and who started a research, finally finding the “Zante Girl”! zakynthosinformer had the exclusive story.
The question is now whether 89-year-old Baker will travel to Zakynthos for a touching reunion with the Zante Girl.
