They tracked down that girl from the famous National Geographic cover. Story here (http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/central/03/12/afghan.girl.ap/index.html)

I always thought she had the most haunting eyes I had ever seen. You see her now and she looks so old for her 30 years. Her eyes are still intense but seem to have lost something over time. She sure had a hard life.
DJ

Yes, that photo sure is haunting... enough so that when I read Doug's post about the famous National Geographic cover, I knew exactly which photo it was referring to. I agree, DJ - she does look old for her 30 years. I wish the photos were a little bigger so we could see more detail. Guess I'll have to wait for the next NG issue. -Jeanie

The National Geographic website (http://mesa.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/afghangirl/) has a great story on this a few close-up photos as well. Very interesting info - as is just about everything on that site! -Jeanie

Jeanie, I knew which photo he was talking about too. She certainly looked older than 13 at the time of the first photo. She was an extremely pretty girl. And I think she looks more like 40 now than the 29 or 30 they believe her to be. I guess a very tough life might do that to you.

Ed

Very fastinating. Thanks Jeanie. I never even thought about going on the Nat Geo site to find a more indepth story on her. Love the photos. It sure shows the hard life she's led. I'm glad she still has her husband. It was so much harder for widows during the Talaban. She is one of the lucky ones when viewed in that way. Not much luckier.
DJ

I just viewed the Sights and Sounds (http://mesa.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0204/sights_n_sounds/media1.html) multimedia presentation that was mentioned on the right side of the NG page. Wow! Some amazing photos and stories about how the NG crew found the woman. I think it would be well worth the 5 minutes it takes to download on a 56K modem (I've got cable, so didn't have to wait that long.) -Jeanie
P.S. If the link doesn't work, just keep refreshing. I've been having trouble with it - but it is the correct URL.

wow! thats amazing that they actually found her after so many years. thanks for the links Doug & Jeanie, on cnn.com for some reason the photo wasn't showing up in my web browser, but everything worked ok on the National Geographic site and the photos and that presentation were great!

- David

Jeanie,
I watched the film and loved it. It went into so much more detail on her and her family and what is happening to them now after the media attention. It's good to know they are being helped and her kids will probably have the future she hopes for them. She is a woman to admire no doubt. You can't watch that without being affected. Well worth the wait if I had a 56k or less. Thank you for pointing that out.
DJ

Truly fascinating. To me, the change in her new photo isn't age so much as it is in emotion. I now see distrust, sorrow,...

I hope that she will not face retribution for telling her story to Nat. Geographic, and that her people will agree that showing her picture to the world may help the children, as she hopes.

In the final chapter of that film clip it tells of how the people who searched for her made sure her and her family had recieved funds and medicines and the Pakistani rep replied that he saw a smile on her face for the first time.
Maybe Ala was looking out for her after all. In these conflicting times that was a most unlikey angel to send to her. I wish more of them could claim the same luck or divine intervention. :) At any rate it's a good story to help off set all the bad news of late.
DJ