In 1942 Irena Sendler joined Zegota, or the Council for Aid to Jews, in German-occupied Warsaw. She, along with twenty-five friends, were part of a plot to help Poland children escape from the Ghettos and into orphanages or Non-Jewish families that were willing to adopt them. Sendler would hide the children in suitcases full of clothes she was taking to orphanages. When sneaking out small children, she would give them drugs to keep them from crying and when she was sneaking out older children she would have them pretend to be sick and they would be taken away in ambulance. Although, it was most common that children would be taken through sewers, underground tunnels, or through the old court house. Once they were out of the Ghetto’s borders, Sendler would give them fake names and papers. She would make lists of the names of the children that she helped to escape, she would put the lists in jars, and then bury them in a garden so that one day she could dig them up and (hopefully) reunite them with their parents, or even just to tell them who they really are. Every day that she would sneak kids out, she ran the risk of getting caught. The danger of smuggling kids out of Ghettos wasn't over once they were in their new homes. If the families that are taking care of the Jewish children were caught by the Nazis, they all could be killed. More than 700 people were killed due to this.

Though, the hardest part of sneaking the kids out of the Ghettos, would be getting the parents to let go of their kids. Parents were reluctant in letting their children go, but they would rather them escape than die inside the Ghetto. In some cases the parents would let go but grandparents would object.

I think that letting the kids go and letting them have a chance at living would be better than staying with their families, waiting to die. And yes, the risk of dying would still be with them if they tried to escape, but the possibility of getting a second chance at life would be more than enough motivation for me. Letting go of my children would be hard, but I don’t think I would be able to live with myself if I robbed them of a second chance that deserved. Although, I understand why the parents wouldn’t want to let the children go, I still think that if they had a chance to save their kids and give them opportunities that they have been denied that you should let them live and be happy.

When she was caught, the Nazis broke both of her legs, her arms, and she was beaten severely. Her coworkers bribed one of the guards holding her captive, and she was in put hiding for most of the rest of her life.

Irena Sendler devoted and risked her life by working to free these kids. When all was said and done, she saved the lives of more than 2,500 kids. Irena Sendler had the courage to do what most of us would never be able to.