Norwegian boy who camped in Campbell returns home to massacre

BY WILLIAM K. ALCORN

alcorn@vindy.com

POLAND

Sivert, an 11-year-old Norwegian boy, spent a month in Campbell with children 11 to 13 brought together from all over the world to better understand one another only to return to his homeland Friday to a politically motivated massacre.

Sivert and his family live in Gjovik, Norway, about 1,5 hours by car from Oslo where terrorist attacks on Norway’s government headquarters and an island retreat for young people left at least 93 dead and more than 90 wounded with people missing at both scenes.

During the monthlong Children’s International Summer Villages camp in Campbell, Sivert and three other boys from China, Brazil and Hungary, spent a mid-camp, four-day weekend with the Mark and Rhonda Roarty of Poland and their sons, Kyle, 13, and Colin, 11.

While he was at the Roartys pointing out Norway on a globe, Sivert said “we’re peaceful countries up here in Scandanavia” referring to Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

Roarty said his first reaction when learning of the killings in Norway was concern for Sivert physically and emotionally.

Knowing Sivert lived about an hour north of Oslo “gave us no comfort. It was still shocking in every capacity to all of us,” Roarty said.

He e-mailed Sivert’s family saying: “Out prayers are with you and your family. Please confirm that all arrived back safely and are okay from the attacks.”

Sivert’s parents, Arne and Bente, responded: “Fortunately we are in good condition. What has happened in Oslo and Utoya is cruel.”

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.