By Maggie Downs
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Mariane Pearl has shared something with the world twice - the death of her husband.

Two years ago we watched together as Daniel Pearl's murder was videotaped and broadcast on international news.

Pearl, a young Wall Street Journal reporter, was abducted, tortured and killed by terrorists in Karachi, Pakistan. His wife, five months pregnant, led the intense effort to find him and his captors.

In September 2003, Mariane Pearl relived the story of his life and death in her book, A Mighty Heart.

She detailed her relationship and the search for her husband Tuesday night at the Aronoff Center, part of the Smart Talk Women's Lecture Series.

"I hope to inspire people that even in the worst of circumstances, the human mind is very strong and can overcome many obstacles," she said.

She said she finds strength in sharing her husband's story.

"He wanted to bridge the world with his writing," she said.

Pearl drew courage from photos of her husband that were released by the terrorists. In some he was smiling; in one, he gave his captors the middle finger.

"He had the courage at that moment to say, 'You might kill me, but you'll never kill my spirit,'" Pearl said. "He had that courage in front of death. I had to have that courage in front of life."

Daniel Pearl's death shows courage, hope and initiative are the best ways to combat such terrorists, she said. Giving birth to her son, Adam, now 2 years old, was also a commitment to carry on.

"That, for me, was when happiness became an act of resistance," she said.

E-mail mdowns@enquirer.com