Smuggling a baby. Evacuation. Humor. Leaving the family dog tied to a car bumper. Bombs. The Iran civil war. All are part of Last Flight to Freedom. Judith Marie and her family are transferred to Iran, arriving the first day of martial law in Tehran. Her pregnancy adds to the stress of seeing the war firsthand. Buildings are here one day and bombed the next. Snipers interrupt a normal drive to school. The only American giving birth in a private Iranian hospital on the high holy day of Azar Ashura had its complications as well as surprising hospitality. Playing with a pretend gun, her son had an enlightening outcome with some soldiers. On the way to the baby's first doctor appointment, Judith's driver kept them safe while the car was being rocked by Shah supporters and Khomeini revolutionaries. One plane was finally allowed to land to take out 60 remaining people. With only one hour to get to the airport, the family dog was tied to their car bumper at the office with promises from Iranian staff he would be safe and everything they could carry was packed. The baby, being Iranian due to birth, was smuggled through the airport with an unexpected delay. A true adventure during an historical political event is well worth the read.
