Photographer Neil Astrow (right) filmed Barbara Wilson sharing her story with News Anchor Michael Gargiulo for a segment to be aired on "Today's New York", commemorating the 70th anniversary of the sinking of the Athenia. The Long Island Daily Press article with a photograph of Mrs. Wilson, then Barbara Rodman, appears in the upper left corner of the picture. WNBC Anchor Michael Gargiulo interviewed Garden City's Barbara Wilson at the Garden City Public Library on Wednesday, August 19th. Mr. Gargiulo interviewed Mrs. Wilson for a program segment commemorating the 70th anniversary of the sinking of the Athenia, which is planned to be aired during WNBC's "Today in New York". Mrs. Wilson survived the sinking of the S.S. Athenia, which was torpedoed on September 3rd, 1939 by a German U-boat. An article about Mrs. Wilson's survival, which appeared in the Long Island Daily Press in 1939, is one of the artifacts on display in the local military history exhibit on the lower level of the Library.

Barbara Wilson, then Barbara Rodman, was a young woman traveling alone on vacation during the summer of 1939. She hoped to visit England and then travel on the continent. Since the crisis with Germany was escalating, she became anxious to return home to the United States. After some difficulty, Mrs. Wilson was able to secure passage across the Atlantic to Montreal on the Athenia. She believed she would return home safely since she was traveling on a British passenger liner; however, war broke out with Germany and the Athenia became the first ship to be torpedoed by the German U-boat U-30.

Barbara Wilson's niece Susannah Rodman-Wojas (left) and her grandnephew Liam (in front) were among the guests at WNBC's interview. Also present (from left to right) were Library Director Carolyn Voegler, and Cyril Smith, Michael Brosnan and William Bellmer, who helped create the exhibit at the Library. Family friend Robert Ruehs (to the right of Mrs. Wilson) accompanied her to the interview. During the interview with WNBC, the Garden City resident described how she lived through a key moment in the history of World War II. Mrs. Wilson struggled to survive in a lifeboat until she was rescued by another ship and then later returned to America. During World War II, Mrs. Wilson crossed the ocean once again, this time on the Queen Mary, as a volunteer with the Red Cross.

Garden City resident Barbara Wilson (left) shared her amazing story of survival after the sinking of the Athenia with WNBC Anchor Michael Gargiulo. The interview took place in the exhibit area on the lower level of the Garden City Public Library. Barbara Wilson's niece Susannah Rodman-Wojas and grandnephew Liam accompanied the survivor to her interview at the Library along with family friend Robert Ruehs. Mrs. Wilson showed the WNBC crew and her family the part of the military history exhibit with the newspaper article about her survival. Cyril Smith, William Bellmer, and Michael Brosnan, who were members of the group who created local military history exhibit, along with Library Director Carolyn Voegler, were also present for the interview. A tentative date for the televised interview on "Today's New York" is planned for September 3rd.

Anchor Michael Gargiulo (center) of WNBC's "Today in New York" and Photographer Neil Astrow (right) thanked Barbara Wilson for sharing her experience living through a historic event in World War II.