It's not really his birthday, but Terry Anderson is celebrating a make-believe anniversary Thursday as a substitute for the seven he spent in the loneliness of captivity in Lebanon.
Anderson, 44, flew to Washington to join four other former hostages invited to the White House by President Bush to take part in lighting the nation's Christmas tree.Their presence added to the gloss of the yearly event, marking the first time in eight Christmases that no American was held captive in Lebanon. In 1979 and 1980, President Carter allowed only the lighting of the tree's crowning star because of the 50 Americans then caged in Iran.
"On top of the great Christmas tree is the star of hope," Carter said then. "We will turn on the other lights on the tree when the American hostages come home."
Anderson, chief Middle East correspondent of The Associated Press, was the longest-held American captive - since March 16, 1985 - and the last to be released. He was freed Dec. 4.
Also invited to the White House ceremony were Joseph Cicippio, Alann Steen, Thomas Sutherland and Jesse Turner, all released since October. So were two others instrumental in obtaining the hostages' freedom, United Nations Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar and his special envoy, Giandomenico Picco.
They were to be guests of President and Mrs. Bush at a Christmas party in the evening.
"It's a very special time," said Barbara Bush. "We've all practically counted the days until this would happen so it makes Christmas, if possible, much more exciting."
For years, the humanitarian organization No Greater Love kept the hostage ordeal in the forefront with simple ceremonies that always involved children. Thursday's birthday celebration was no different, involving a high school ROTC honor guard, and the lighting of seven candles on a 21/2-foot cake by youngsters.