February 25, 2013

 

MTM Special Ops

1225 South Grand Ave.

Los Angeles, CA. 90015

 

Dear Sir;

 

I have a phenomenal story I would like to share with you, and would be honored if you would read this letter in its entirety.

 

On September 20^th, 2008, I received a phone call that my husband was injured in a terrorist bombing attack at the Marriot Hotel in Islamabad Pakistan.  I will not include all the details of his story, there are many, but I would like to tell you about the ones that I feel would be most interesting to you.

 

My husband, Christopher, arrived in Pakistan in September of 2008 on a 40 day job assignment, only to experience the most horrific tragedy in his life three days after his arrival.  A dump truck filled with 600kg of RDX and TNT combined with Aluminum Powder rammed the security gate at the hotel entrance.  This resulted in a crater 59-feet wide and 24-feet deep.  My husband was sitting in the hotel parking lot in his vehicle just 35 yards away.  As you will see in the enclosed photographs, almost every vehicle was crushed and completely destroyed, but my husband survived the blast miraculously.  There were about 55 who died and 230 injured.

 

On September 20, 2008 my husband was working on a special operation and headed to the Marriot Hotel were he was staying.  He drove to the parking entrance where security guards checked and cleared his vehicle for unusual devices.  As he entered the secure parking area, he backed his vehicle into a parking spot about 5 yards away from the gate guards.  Moments later,a dump truck filled with explosives rammed the security gate which ignited a smaller blast.

Immediately the truck was set on fire, and as the guards were frantically trying to put it out, my husband pulled his vehicle out of that parking spot and backed into another parking spot 35   yards away.  He called to report the incident and stayed in his vehicle waiting for help to arrive. Minutes later, the second blast occurred which resulted in the largest explosion Pakistan had experienced in recent history.  The Marriot Bombing was also depicted in the Oscar – nominated movie, “Zero Dark Thirty.”

 

When my husband returned to Pakistan 4 months later, he was told that most everyone in that parking lot died.  There was even a government “Hard Car” next to him that was severely damaged from the blast.  Many of the vehicles surrounding him were completely unrecognizable.  Christopher’s vehicle sustained front end damage and was crushed from the sides due to the pressure of the blast.  The devastation and destruction to vehicles and buildings was felt miles away.  Christopher was thrown back into the seat of his vehicle.  He sustained facial lacerations, loss of hearing in his right ear and partial left ear, glass and shrapnel pieces in both eyes, right shoulder pain, black and blue bruising on his chest area, lacerations in upper right lip and scalp lacerations.  Today he suffers with PTSD and multiple physical problems, but he miraculously survived the incredible bombing attack.

 

During the terrorist attack, my husband was wearing the Black Hawk Titanium Watch.  I am enclosing photos so you can see that it it’s strength and durability held up throughout the massive explosion.  The watch is still running today, four years later and is still in excellent condition.  The quality and craftsmanship of your watch is unparalleled.  I wanted to share this testimony because it is one that not many people can live through and tell.  This watch is going to be passed down though generations because it has an amazing story attached to it.

 

Sincerely yours,

Marion Esposito