70 Year Old Terrorist Bombing Survivor Tells All...
We dove into Christiane Scarpino's background to ask her some juicy questions on the best book she's ever read, her biggest pet peeve and more.
A Little About The Guest.
Christiane Scarpino is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist and retired Massage Therapist who now devotes her life to raising awareness about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A graduate of Rutgers University and Purdue University, she lives in New Jersey with her husband and their cherished Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers, whom she trains and competes with in various performance events.
A survivor of a terrorist bombing in 1977, Christiane’s life took a dramatic turn as she grappled with the long-lasting effects of PTSD. Her memoir, Missing Pieces, shares her deeply personal journey of resilience, highlighting the hidden struggles of trauma survivors and the importance of understanding the condition’s impact on daily life.
Through her story, she provides a powerful message of hope for fellow survivors and advocates for greater awareness, empathy, and support for those living with invisible wounds.
Christiane’s mission is to educate others about PTSD, emphasizing the need for accommodations and understanding- even for those who may appear “normal” on the outside. By sharing her experiences, she aims to inspire trauma survivors and foster a greater sense of compassion and connection in society.
You can connect with her here:
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM
The Guest Deep-Dive.
1. Being that you are an author, I am guessing that you probably also love to read. What is the *BEST* book that you have read in your lifetime and why?
What is the BEST book I have read in my lifetime... hard to answer that one. That’s a lot of years! I primarily read nonfiction and research about brain function. I find brain research fascinating, but I don’t really have a favorite. As I look at the books on my shelves, I see books on nutrition, healthy lifestyle, dog breeding and training, and U.S. history... and then there is The Basics of Pistol Shooting. I have a wide variety of interests. I write nonfiction too.
2. What is your biggest pet peeve about things people do in public?
Picking their nose or wiping a runny nose with their hand.
3. What is a secret talent you have or something wild you’ve done in your life that most people don’t know about?
Don’t know if this is a wild thing, but I used to be a long distance runner in my 20s and 30s. I ran 10 marathons and 5 ultramarathons. Three of them were 50 mile races. I held the National Single Age Record for Women for running 50 miles when I was 27 years old. I also used to drink shots of Johnny Walker Black and then dance on tables.
4. If someone spent a full, unfiltered day with you, what would they notice about how you actually live?
They would notice that my life is quiet and I spend a lot of time alone by choice. I love being alone and I relish silence. I keep a schedule so I have time for the things I have to do and the things that I want to do (dog training, writing, and exercise happen every day). When the weather is warmer, I spend most of my time outside.
5. Are there any ‘strongly held beliefs’ that you once had, that you now have changed your mind about?
I used to be a rigid thinker and believed that things had to be a certain way. I’d get angry quickly if something didn’t go right. Now I am flexible, open to new ideas and seldom get angry. I figured out that anger isn’t productive and I’ve become more curious about everything. I guess the biggest difference is that when I was younger I thought I knew it all about life and now I don’t think I know much at all... I’m still figuring it out!
The Podcast Deets.
A cup of coffee saved her life.
On an unsuspecting summer morning in 1977, Christiane Scarpino was saved by the three steps she took away from her desk to get a cup of coffee- at the precise moment that a bomb in her office went off.
Did you just get chills? Well, just wait until you here the rest of this story.
In this Friday’s with Friends episode, we’re talking directly with 70 year-old Christiane Scarpino about the trauma she faced at the age of 21 when she survived a terrorist bombing attack at her job (from a woman only six months older than her).
She walks us through the moments leading up to the explosion, the immediate aftermath, and how for years afterwards, she was treated like a criminal by the FBI who believed that she could be a suspect.
She explains how she was never evaluated medically, that PTSD wasn’t known like it is today, and how she suffered for years with flashbacks and memory loss that she felt like she had to hide.
She’s now reclaiming her voice with her memoir (a book she wrote to help others heal), and she’s not holding back in this interview at all.
Are you ready to hear a wild story?