History's Secret Heroes: Series 2: Josefina Guerrero: The Maid of Manila

History's Heroes

BBC

Documentary, History, Society & Culture

4.8 • 704 Ratings

🗓️ 29 April 2024

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

After contracting Hansen’s Disease, then known as leprosy, Josefina Guerrero makes a remarkable decision. She becomes a spy for the resistance in Manila.

Helena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War Two. Join her for incredible tales of deception, acts of resistance and courage.

A BBC Studios Audio production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Producer: Suniti Somaiya Edit Producer: Melvin Rickarby Assistant Producer: Lorna Reader Executive Producer: Paul Smith Written by Alex von Tunzelmann Commissioning editor for Radio 4: Rhian Roberts

Transcript

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0:00.0	Did you know that you can listen to many of your favourite podcasts first on BBC Sounds?
0:06.6	Like Desert Island Discs, where you can hear castaways like Cher, Gareth Southgate and Nick Cave,
0:12.7	and enjoy longer versions of the music they've picked.
0:15.7	Good things come to those who don't wait.
0:18.7	Listen to your favourite podcasts first on BBC Sounds.
0:23.8	BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts.
0:33.3	June, 1982, the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
0:43.4	Ballet dancer Biaire Nechette came off stage,
0:46.3	applause ringing in his ears.
0:48.2	For the first time, he'd performed a leading role.
0:51.2	As he walked to his dressing room, elated, he felt a sharp tug on his sleeve.
0:55.8	And I turn around and there's this tiny little woman, very intense eyes behind thick glasses, staring up at me.
1:06.5	The woman in her 60s was a theatre usher. She tilted her head and asked him,
1:12.7	Are your parents still alive?
1:14.9	Very strange from a total stranger, you know.
1:19.3	Hecht told her his parents were very much alive and well.
1:22.8	And she said, oh, but, you know, if they weren't, I want to adopt you.
1:31.0	The usher's name was Joey Lomax from that moment on she became
1:33.5	Hex's firm friend
1:34.8	she had these eyes that were
1:37.3	very much alive and they wanted to know
1:39.4	everything but as he got
	...

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