The Sound of Triumph

Maria Von Trapp, the last surviving member and second-eldest daughter of the musical family who gracefully escaped Nazi-occupied Austria, has died.

According to her brother, Johannes von Trapp, "She was a lovely woman who was one of the few truly good people. There wasn't a mean or miserable bone in her body. I think everyone that new her would agree with that."

Maria was portrayed as Louisa in the 1959 Broadway musical and 1965 film, which won Oscar for best picture. The "Sound of Music" was based loosely on a 1949 book by Maria's father's second wife, also Maria von Trapp, which told a story of an Austrian woman who married a widower with seven children and taught them music.

The von Trapp family escaped Nazi-occupied Austria in 1938. They performed concert tours throughout Europe and eventually in America. They then opened a ski lodge in Stowe, Vermont in the early 1940s.

The Sound of Music, both musical and movie, served as an inspiration for people arose the world. Not only did its theatrical songs lift the spirits of those watching, but it also portrayed the strength, dignity, and resilience of a connected family unit. Having that resilience is what allowed the von Trapp family to escape the Nazis. Also, as the movie shows, music makes people happy. And what can be better than making people happy?

My mom's favorite movie is The Sound of Music, and we'll continue to watch it at least a month for the rest of our lives. The von Trapp legacy lives on - a story of hope, struggle, and triumph.