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Twin Towers

Let Us Do Good Village breaks ground

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The patriotism was palpable at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Let Us Do Good Village, a first-of-its kind community in the nation — where mortgage-free homes will be provided for catastrophically injured veterans, and for surviving widows and small children of fallen members of the military and first responders.

The subdivision of more than 100 homes is planned off Parkway Boulevard, in Land O’ Lakes, on 75 acres donated by the Esther and Harold Mertz Foundation to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Tunnel to Towers Foundation Chairman and CEO Frank Siller expressed gratitude for the work that’s already been done and encouraged everyone to do what they can in the quest to thank the families of those who have given up their lives, or sacrificed their bodies in order to keep others safe. (Fred Bellet)

Tunnel to Towers, established 20 years ago after Stephen Siller perished on Sept. 11, 2001, will provide the mortgage-free homes.

“The Tunnel to Towers Foundation was started in memory of Stephen Siller, a New York City firefighter who laid down his life while saving others on Sept. 11, 2001,” said Bradley Blakeman, who served as master of ceremonies for the groundbreaking event.

“Stephen, with 60 pounds of gear strapped to his back, raced by foot through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the Twin Towers, where he gave his life, saving others,” he said.

Blakeman was working on the White House staff on 9/11, as a chief scheduler for President George W. Bush.

Blakeman also had a nephew who died in 9/11, after rushing to Ground Zero to help others.

Disabled veteran Bret Jacob Menard received some unexpected news that he will be a Tunnel to Towers beneficiary. Menard’s life coach and friend, Gil D’Amore, of Dade City, left, lifts Menard’s arm in thanks. Menard’s father Bret Menard, of New Tampa, right, applauds the announcement.

Like Stephen Siller, Blakeman said his nephew’s body was never recovered.

“The Siller family didn’t want to stay consumed in the darkness and tragedy of that day, but chose instead to honor heroic sacrifices that were made by all 2,977 who lost their lives that day in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

“The Tunnel to Towers Foundation promised to never forget,” Blakeman said.

“This Let Us Do Good Village is just one example of the many good works that Frank Siller and the foundation has done all over our country.

“This village, the first of its kind, will create a community of families who will share a special bond together, who understand better than anyone what it takes to keep our nation and our communities free,” Blakeman said.

“It will be more than houses. Along with over 100 brand new mortgage-free homes, the Let Us Do Good Village will feature world-class amenities, will have an indoor basketball court, a pool, a tennis court, an ADA-accessible gym, a theater, an outdoor playground, a game room and so, so much more,” he said.

Frank Siller speaks to Bryan Dilberian, 35, of Staten Island, prior to taking the stage for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation ceremony. Veterans were honored for their service and in this case, their sacrifice. Dilberian is the first recipient of a Smart Home in the Let Us Do Good Village.

Another speaker, James S. “Hammer” Hartsell, drew an enthusiastic response from the crowd, when he said: “I feel bad for the rest of America who’s not here today, right here, right now. I feel sorry for them. This is where we need to be as Americans, right here, right now, today.”

Hartsell, who is the executive director of the Florida Veterans Administration, extended his thanks to the many veterans and active service members at the event.

“Thank you for these motorcycle riders over here who are protecting our flag and protecting our nation’s honor,” Hartsell said.

“Thank you for that color guard that drove up here from MacDill.

“I want to thank the moms and dads, aunts and uncles, grandparents — who brought kids here today. They need to see this and what we’re doing today because this is what makes America great. They won’t forget what they see and hear here today,” said Hartsell, a veteran of 37 years in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Recipients of Tunnel to Towers’ help also spoke.

One of those speakers was JoAnne Campbell, who was visibly emotional. Her husband died from a 9/11-related illness.

“We’ve lost people that we’ve loved so dearly, and we felt the pain of losing them and the grief that follows. But through that despair, Tunnel to Towers has helped remove some of the financial strain from me and my family.

From left, retired U.S. Marine Corps Major Gen. James S. ‘Hammer’ Hartsell, Tunnel to Towers CEO Frank Siller, and Nancy Close pose for pictures after the groundbreaking for the Let Us Do Good Village. Close, representing the Mertz Foundation, was among several donors who are making the development of 100-plus homes on 75-acres, a reality in Land O’ Lakes.

“The gratitude that I feel for what they have done cannot be put into words,” said Campbell, whose mortgage was paid off by Tunnel to Towers.

U.S. Army Sgt. Bryan Diberian, who will receive the first Smart Home in the Let Us Do Good Village, spoke, too.

He sustained injuries when he was on patrol in Afghanistan and stepped on an improvised explosive device in July 2011.

“The Siller Foundation was pretty much there by my bedside,” he said. “They sat me down for lunch one day and they told me they’re going to build me a house. It changed my life. It really did.”
Another speaker John B. Grandoff III is on the board of directors for the Esther and Harold Mertz Foundation, which donated the land.

“St. Francis of Assisi is the enduring inspiration for Stephen’s foundation, and he was the guiding light to the Siller family in their times of need and sorrow.

“St. Francis truly inspires the Esther and Harold Mertz Foundation in its mission,” Grandoff said.

Bolts fan and U.S. Army veteran P.J. Gray, of Dade City, stands with other flag-bearing veterans at the groundbreaking event for the Let Us Do Good Village.

Frank Siller, CEO and chairman of Tunnel to Towers, greeted the crowd by expressing his gratitude for being together to celebrate the beginning of the Let Us Do Good Village.

“Can you believe it? You tell me that God doesn’t work in wondrous ways. Is this not a day that God has made?

“This is a day that brings the goodness of America together. Think about it. Think about it,” he said.

Siller reminded the crowd: “We live in this country because there’s such a tremendous sacrifice for us. Not just our military, but our men and women who protect us every single day, our police officers and our firefighters.”

Beyond providing mortgage-free homes, the Let Us Do Good Village will create a unique sense of community.

Wearing his favorite vest, U.S. Army veteran Jack Fair, of Hudson, stands by as (left) Pasco County Sheriff’s Cpl. Arthur Madden chats with attending veterans at the Tunnel to Towers Foundation groundbreaking in Land O’ Lakes.

“This village will be a safe haven for the people who are going through the same thing in life,” Siller said.

A 10-year-old who lost his mom or dad will be able to talk to another 10-year-old going through the same thing. The same is true for a husband or wife, whose spouse sacrificed his or her life, he said.

“You know how important that is, to be able to sit with somebody that’s going through the same thing?” he said.

Siller said his parents died when Stephen was only 10, and he recalled his youngest brother telling him he wished he had not been born.

He told him not to say that, that someday he would do something really special.

“I think Stephen’s destiny was 9/11. I think he was put on this earth to run through that tunnel, to save people’s lives, so that we could start a foundation, so that we could help the greatness of America — those who are willing to die for you and I every day,” he said.

While the groundbreaking was a day of celebration, Siller reminded the crowd: “We have a lot of work ahead of us.”

He also encouraged those gathered to follow this teaching, of St. Francis of Assisi: “While we are here, while we have time, let us do good.”

Revised December 16, 2021

We pause, and remember (Part Two)

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Watching the Twin Towers, from across the Hudson
On Sept. 11, 2001, I was on the 26th floor of my office building on the Jersey side of the Hudson River, right across from the World Trade Center.

Linda Hyer’s husband, William Hyer, captured this image of a cross formed by steel beams at the World Trade Center site, within months of the terrorist attacks. (Courtesy of William Hyer)

I was aware, from a phone call, of the first plane hitting the Tower, coming from the East Side of New York.

I couldn’t see that side of the tower, so I went back to work.

Shortly thereafter, my office mate got up and looked out the window and said, “I see a ring of fire.”

I couldn’t imagine what she meant, so I got up and looked.

Literally a ring of fire encased the tower on the upper floors.

By this time, word had spread throughout our floor and everyone came to the bank of windows on the Hudson River side of the building.

Suddenly a deafening roar was heard coming from around the area of the Statue of Liberty.

As we watched, stunned, the second plane came around and banked it wings and slammed into the second tower.

Fire balls and debris erupted from the tower and our building shook on its foundation.

For months after the attack, I witnessed smoke and fire coming from the pit where the Twin Towers once stood.

-Linda Hyer, Land O Lakes

He was safe, but what about his sister?
I was a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, a crew chief on the C130Es at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, at the time.

I was on the flight line, with my rear-end hanging out of the side window of a C130, sitting on the ledge leaning out and over — cleaning windows for that morning’s sortie when the expeditor truck pulls up.

He yells out of his truck, “SHUT ‘ER DOWN, GET INSIDE ASAP!”

After hearing the command, the launch crew and I looked at each other puzzled that we should get a flight crew showing up soon. He yelled again. So we did.

We gathered our tools, made it inside and saw a crowd gathered around the breakroom television.

Almost immediately, I felt tension in the room.

I quickly learned why.

After watching for a few minutes, many of us were released to go home on stand-by.

After the initial shock, my thoughts turned to my sister.

She had been working in the CIA as an analyst for many years.

At the time I did not know exactly what she was doing, only that it had to do with terrorism.

I was getting concerned that the CIA headquarters building might be next.

After the fact, I learned that my sister and some of her coworkers had been tracking the rise of Bin Laden and al-Qaida as a terrorist organization.

The warnings were sent up about a possible attack, but were ignored because they could not get the specifics. Bin Laden had a good grip on keeping his plans secret.

I was safe. My sister though — I was fearful.

As I watched the second tower get hit on television, I was still thinking of my sister.

I am sure she had watched it, too.

Thinking back now and knowing much more, I cannot fathom the emotions she must have felt at the time.

I really had no fear of our base coming under attack, but the CIA headquarters, certainly.

I obviously never got through to her that day. There was no communication from her for a couple of days.

I have no lasting effects, such as PTSD.

My deployments were easy because of my job.

My sister, however, left the agency and now teaches, lectures on terrorism and extremism.

I retired after 24 years and am now working on a master’s degree for clinical mental health counseling.

I want to help those who did go through that which I escaped.

-Patrick Storer, Land O’ Lakes

At the heart doctor’s office
We were living in Fort Lauderdale at the time, the home of many New York transplants.

That morning, while in my husband Dave’s cardiologist’s office, we saw the news about the first plane hitting the World Trade Center. Our eyes were still glued to the TV when the second plane hit.

Firefighter Michael Paul Ragusa, who perished on Sept. 11, 2001, was the brother of Lillian Cucuzza’s colleague. She and some business colleagues paid tribute to him and others, at the memorials. (Courtesy of Lillian Cucuzza)

Everyone gasped.

We knew, immediately, that we were under attack.

I asked the receptionist to turn the TV off so that their patients would not have heart events right there — because many had relatives still living and working in Manhattan.

When we got home from the doctor’s office, we were horrified and fell to our knees crying and praying as we watched the Twin Towers collapse.

One of my associate company’s buildings, 7 World Trade Center, also collapsed a few hours later — as collateral damage from the towers falling.

Many of my friends who worked there literally had to carry some employees to safety because they were frozen, in shock, under their desks because of what happened next door at the Twin Towers.

We later learned that the brother of one of those employees, Michael Ragusa, was among the firefighters who perished that day.

In March 2002, I had the opportunity to visit New York City on a business trip.

My business colleagues and I went to the site of the memorial pool and the new One World Trade Center that was being built.

It was a somber and humble visit.

I cried all day after seeing the name of Michael Ragusa at the memorial pool. He had been a firefighter in Engine Company 279.

Sept. 11, 2001 was one of America’s saddest days.

We have mourned for 20 years, and we will never forget that day.

-Lillian Cucuzza, Land O’ Lakes

Taking in 9/11 events, from Japan
On Sept. 11, 2001, my husband, John, and I were working in Japan as part of a Sister City program.

Because of the time difference, we watched events unfold in the evening, live on television.

I remember turning on the television and watching the replay of the first tower being hit, and thinking it looked like a Bruce Willis movie. And then the extraordinary shock of what was happening washed over us, while watching the second tower hit in real time.

The next morning, we went to work, representing the United States, on a paddlewheel, called the Michigan Boat.

We’re musicians who worked alongside U.S. students, representing the American experience. As we walked there, we were first afraid to set out on a boat that now felt like a target.

Then, we were both relieved, and upset, to see that the company had removed all of the American flags.

I can’t imagine ever feeling as patriotic or American as one does when representing their country abroad.

We stood on a stage, while the students lined up in front of us to greet the now nonexistent guests.

They had fear clearly etched on their faces and waited for us to start.

And so, we sang a song out of character for us.

John Denver and patriotic music wasn’t what felt right.

Instead, we played, “I get knocked down, but I get up again, you’re never gonna keep me down” (Tubthumping by the British band Chumbawamba).

And, we saw the Americans we knew again, as the fear left their faces and we all rallied defiantly.

The show began an hour into the cruise and, as we stepped onto the stage, we saw the only guests on the boat, and they all appeared to be from the Middle East.

You can imagine how long that 30-minute show felt, and also our relief when afterward we met the United Nations ambassadors who had come on the boat as a show of support for our country.

It was an immediate reminder that the world is a community — and not everyone is suspect, even in what feels like the worst of times.

-Sheri Thrasher, Wesley Chapel

That’s strange, no calls are coming in
I was working at the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) headquarters in Brooklyn on 9/11/01, as a desktop technician, and living in Bayport, Long Island.

My job was to take calls and assist the firefighters in the firehouses with any computer issues they were having.

On a typical day, the calls came in almost constantly.

Most of the firefighters weren’t very tech-savvy.

Tania Marziano holds a photograph of her friend Deanna Micciulli Galante, who was eight months pregnant when she perished during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. She worked at Cantor Fitzgerald on the 106th floor. (Courtesy of Tania Marziano)

On 9/11/01, I took the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to work, and I remember it being a nice Tuesday morning.

When I got to the office, there were no calls coming in, which was very odd.

I asked my coworker Keith if he knew if we were having phone issues.

We started calling around to other departments.

That’s when we found out that a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center buildings.

We looked online and we saw what looked like a small commuter plane had hit one of the buildings.

I said to Keith, “I hope nobody died in the building.”

Little did I know what was to come.

After the second plane hit, it became clear we were under attack.

We realized the reason our phones weren’t ringing was because every firefighter we worked with was at the Trade Center.

We were evacuated from our building because “911” calls came into that building and officials felt that if we were under attack, and terrorists wanted to immobilize the city, the building where all the “911” calls came in might be a target.

I couldn’t go home because all trains were stopped.

My coworkers and I found a restaurant where we could sit and watch the news.

That’s when I found out about the Pentagon and Pennsylvania attacks.

I was afraid I was never going home. I thought: “I might die today.”

Hours had passed, and we watched people coming into the restaurant that had just walked over from Manhattan on the Brooklyn Bridge.

They were covered in debris and they all looked shocked.

Many were crying.

When train service was finally restored, I rode on the train with these people.

They were crying because they couldn’t reach their family, friends and/or coworkers.

It was complete devastation.

When I got home, I called my mom to ask her if all of our family members that worked in Manhattan were accounted for and when she said, yes, I was so relieved.

A couple days later I found out that my friend — Deanna Micciulli Galante — who I had grown up with, was missing.

She worked for Cantor Fitzgerald on the 106th floor. She was eight months pregnant with her first baby (Matthew) and was two weeks away from maternity leave.

-Tania Marziano, Land O’ Lakes

Juan Bonilla and his coworkers were watching when an airplane struck the second tower of the World Trade Center. (Courtesy of Juan Bonilla)

New Jersey HUD workers ordered to evacuate their building
On 9/11, 2001, I was working at the office of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, at One Newark Center Building in Newark, New Jersey.

About 9:10 a.m., a commotion started on the 12th floor.

Several coworkers started to run toward the windows to watch one of the World Trade towers being destroyed by the fire.

When I asked a coworker what was going on, he told me that he’d heard on the radio that a tower at the World Trade Center was accidentally hit by an airplane.

After watching the fire at the first tower for a while, with several coworkers, we saw an airplane coming around the second tower and hitting it — causing an explosion and another fire.

Immediately we determined that the striking of both towers by planes was no accident.

I called administration for instructions on how to handle this emergency.

They instructed me that I had to immediately leave the building, with all my coworkers and wait for instructions for when to return to work.

–Juan Bonilla, Zephyrhills

News announced on Navy ship’s PA system
I was in the Navy, on the way to the Persian Gulf.

I had a late watch, so I was trying to get some sleep.

But the captain kept coming over the PA system, talking about a plane hitting the World Trade Center.

When I went on watch at 12:45 in the morning, I asked what was this about a plane hitting the World Trade Center.

They showed me the pictures. The next day we topped off our gas tanks. And, as we pulled away from the replenishment ship, we played “We’re Not Gonna Take It” — which I had provided for the occasion.

-Paul Snider, Land O’ Lakes

Published September 15, 2021

Pasco to become home to ‘Let Us Do Good Village’

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The Pasco County Commission has cleared the way for the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to create a neighborhood in Land O’ Lakes devoted to recipients of mortgage-free homes for catastrophically injured veterans, for surviving widows and children of fallen military and first responders.

“The Let Us Do Good Village, which is what we are calling our development, is a community created by our foundation, which is going to bring these families together,” said Matthew Mahoney, executive vice president of the foundation, at the county board’s June 8 meeting.

It will be the first development of its type in the country, created by a foundation that began 20 years ago, in the aftermath of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The foundation is named after Stephen Siller, a firefighter who had finished his shift and was on his way home when the attacks occurred at the Twin Towers.

Instead of going home, the firefighter turned around and headed back toward Lower Manhattan.

When he wasn’t able to drive into the area because of the emergency, Mahoney said, “Stephen donned over 60 pounds of firefighting gear on his back and ran over 2 miles to the World Trade Center, ultimately losing his life that day at the South Tower.”

Siller was one of 343 firefighters who perished, of the 406 first responders lost that day, Mahoney said. He left behind five young children.

The foundation provides mortgage-free homes for recipients in its Smart Home, Fallen First Responders and Gold Star Family programs.

Typically, it either provides mortgage-free homes or pays off the mortgage, he said. By the end of this year, it will have paid off or provided 400 homes.

The Let Us Do Good Village will be created on about 75 acres, on the south side of Parkway Boulevard, about a half-mile east of Ehren Cutoff.

It will include specially adapted one-floor homes, on 100-foot-wide lots, for catastrophically injured veterans, the foundation’s Smart Home Program.

It also will provide two-story homes, on 60-foot lots, through its Fallen First Responders Program and through its Gold Star Family program.

The foundation believes that bringing these families together will help them to recover, Mahoney said.

“Their children are going to be able to grow up, where other children don’t have a dad, or other children don’t have a mom — because of their service,” the foundation executive said.

The county board’s unanimous approval came after the foundation agreed a number of concessions, which will be recorded through a deed restriction.

That deed restriction limits the development to 103 lots, said Cyndi Tarapani, a planning consultant representing the foundation.

The reduction in lots equates to an overall density of the development of about two homes per acre, she said.

The deed restriction also specifies that a 6-foot fence will be installed to separate the new neighborhood from the adjacent Panther Run and Dupree Lakes subdivisions, she said.

The development also will include a number of other amenities for its residents, including a clubhouse and neighborhood park, Tarapani added.

Mahoney said the foundation also plans to plant trees in backyards.

“We want to ensure privacy for our neighbors, and, of course, for our widows and children,” he said.

The foundation, technically, was not required to provide a deed restriction, according to the county’s legal staff.

However, neighbors in Panther Run had pushed back against the project, voicing objections based on concerns about compatibility and potential loss of privacy.

Pasco Planning Commission members also expressed misgivings about the compatibility, ultimately recommending denial of the application.

After the Planning Commission’s action, the foundation agreed to include additional concessions in its deed restriction — including reducing the number of lots on the Panther Run border, making most of those lots 100-feet wide and developing most of them with single-story homes.

“The foundation has made significant commitments along that common border with Panther Run to address their concerns. We believe we’ve gone above and beyond, in our efforts, to be good neighbors,” Tarapani said.

In general, some neighbors still voiced concerns about privacy issues and the intensity of the underlying zoning for the project.

But fewer residents expressed objections during the county board meeting than did at the planning commission meeting.

Panther Run resident Shelby Carrero, of 6448 Paw Place, thanked county commissioners for meeting with her to discuss the issue. She also thanked Tunnel to Towers Foundation for working with the neighbors.

“I think that we have finally come up with a compromise on both sides,” Carrero said.

Like many of the new development’s future neighbors, she supports the foundation’s work.

“I greatly, greatly appreciate that,” she said.

She’s also looking forward to the new community which the foundation will build.

“I think we couldn’t ask for better neighbors,” she said, adding, “we are excited to see what they are going to do.”

Pasco County Commissioners also expressed enthusiasm for the planned “Let Us Do Good Village.”

“I thank you for coming before the board with such a great project,” County Commissioner Jack Mariano said.

He also expressed appreciation to the foundation, for listening to the neighbors.

“I think you’re making yourself fit in real well,” Mariano said.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley agreed: “You’ve all done a good job in answering the public  — the neighbors of that project.”

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey put it like this: “I’m  very proud that we’re going to have this in our county.”

Published June 16, 2021

78 floors up, blind man and guide dog survive 9/11

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Michael Hingson felt a sense of calmness as he walked floor by floor — exiting the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

Hingson has been blind since birth and he, with his former guide dog, Roselle, had to work as a team to find their way to safety.

Hingson, the author of “Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog and the Triumph of Trust,” recently shared his story at Saint Leo University.

Michael Hingson has been blind all his life and is a 9/11 survivor. He shared his life story at Saint Leo University, on Feb. 19. (Mary Rathman)

He was accompanied by his current guide dog, Alamo.

During his talk, Hingson detailed what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, but also shared experiences from throughout his life that gave him the instincts to survive that devastating day.

On 9/11, Hingson said he and his business partner, David Frank, were working for the Artecon corporation on the 78th floor of the World Trade Center’s North Tower.

As they prepared for an important presentation, Hingson said, “suddenly we heard a muffled explosion, the building shook.

“Then it began to tip. We moved about 20 feet, I think,” he said.

Frank began shouting for everyone to leave the office, imploring Hingson to come along.

Hingson, and his guide dog, Roselle, evacuated with everyone.

Hingson remained calm and tried to assure Frank to do the same.

He said he was able to contain his emotions because he previously had developed a mindset that kicked in automatically.

Before the day of the attacks, he said: “I kept thinking almost every day I went in, ‘What if there’s an emergency today? What do I do?’

So, when he had to suddenly leave the building, he said, “I was prepared.”

As people descended the stairs, Hingson noticed a familiar smell – jet fuel.

He had not yet learned that a commercial airplane had slammed into the North Tower, just floors above his office.

The South Tower had already been hit by a second plane when Hingson and others exited from the North Tower.

Alamo is the guide dog for Michael Hingson, who is blind. The canine tagged along as Hingson shared his life story at Saint Leo University.

He and his business partner were still in the vicinity when the South Tower began collapsing.

“As I started to run, the first thought I had in my brain was: ‘God I can’t believe that you got us out of a building just to have it fall on us.’

“I heard a voice that said, ‘Don’t worry about what you can’t control. Focus on running with Roselle and the rest will take care of its self.’”

With the assistance of his guide dog, Hingson found shelter in a subway station — where he found others who had gone underground to keep safe.

They were escorted out by a police officer and Hingson was later reunited with his wife, Karen.

Hingson told the audience that his ability to navigate through the world — even though he is blind — began when he was just a little boy.

“I was born two months premature and was put in an incubator,” Hingson said, explaining that a pure oxygen environment can cause blindness.

When he was four months old, his aunt noticed he wasn’t reacting to sunlight.

The doctor confirmed the baby was blind and said nothing could be done.

The doctor went on to tell Hingson’s parents that the infant wouldn’t amount to anything and should be placed in a special home.

But, his parents didn’t accept that prediction.

They believed their son could live a productive and successful life.

Their attitude was: “Blindness isn’t going to be the problem,” Hingson said, and that made all of the difference.

Stephen Spelman, left, and Michael Hingson are 9/11 survivors who escaped Ground Zero in New York. As a blind man, Hingson was able to exit the North Tower of the World Trade Center with the help of his dog, Roselle.

When he was 5, the family moved from Chicago to California.

He began to learn braille in kindergarten and his parents got him a braille writing machine.

They also gave him freedom to go outdoors, like his older brother, Ellery.

Even though Hingson was blind, he frequently walked to the candy store, and rode his bike on his own, he recalled.

“It wasn’t even scary for me,” he said. “What it did teach me though, was how to be aware of my surroundings.”

Neighbors, however, would express concern about his safety.

But, Hingson said he didn’t want to be treated differently from other kids.

The issue, Hingson said, is people’s misconception that “eyesight is the only game in town.”

When he was 14, he received his first guide dog – a golden retriever.

He developed an interest for electronics and magnetism, which led to a master’s degree in physics, at the University of California-Irvine.

During his career, he sold machines that could read print to the blind.

He also sold data entry machines to companies, lawyers and banks, too.

He joined The National Federation of the Blind, advocating for civil rights.

And, he married.

While working for the Artecon corporation, Hingson was transferred to New York where he opened up another branch.

That is why he was working in the North Tower of the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001, when it was struck by a commercial airliner that had been hijacked by terrorists.

The 9/11 terror attack involved a total of four commercial airliners. Two were crashed into the Twin Towers, another was crashed into the Pentagon and a fourth never reached its intended target because it was forced down by its crew and passengers in a field outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

The 9/11 terrorist attacks caused a total of 2,977 fatalities.

But, Hingson and his guide dog, Roselle, made it out.

Hingson appreciates the teamwork between him and Roselle that led to their survival. He thinks so highly of Roselle, who has since died, that he dedicated his book to the dog.

“When I work with a guide dog, it’s all about creating a team. It’s all about all of us working together to accomplish a task,” said Hingson, who travels across the country, to share his experiences.

While he appreciates the bond that he has shared with his guide dogs, Hingson reminded the crowd that people can experience special bonds, too.

“We each have to show each other how we add value to what the other does,” Hingson said.

Published March 4, 2020

Chance conversation leads to permanent memorial

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What began as an idea to host a  9/11 Memorial Mile, quickly turned into something bigger because of a chance conversation.

Penelope Bastidas, the widow of 9/11 first responder Lt. Mario Bastidas, uses large scissors during the ribbon cutting to unveil the first permanent 9/11 memorial in Pasco County. Bastidas flew in from New York to attend the event. (Christine Holtzman)

In recent years, the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel has been honoring the anniversary of Sept. 11 by serving breakfasts to area first responders and by passing out American flags at Tampa Premium Outlets.

This year, the club decided to stage its first run to commemorate Sept. 11.

But, that idea morphed into something bigger during planning stages for that run.

Chris Casella, president of the Rotary Club, recalled that during a discussion, Rhonda Clark, the mall’s director of marketing and business development, mentioned that a guy had dropped by Tampa Premium Outlets recently, wanting to donate a piece of metal from a New York Fire Department truck destroyed in the terror attacks.

Rotarian Arlene Brooks belts out her rendition of the National Anthem before the start of the inaugural 9/11 Memorial Mile. (Christine Holtzman)

Casella asked Clark: “Is his name Steve?”

Clark answered yes.

“That’s my old partner!” Casella exclaimed.

From that point on, the conversation shifted beyond discussing the run.

The mall offered to donate 25 linear feet of wall space inside the food court for the first permanent 9/11 memorial site in Pasco County.

And, the event expanded to include a dedication ceremony for the new memorial.

The memorial commemorates a day that is seared into the nation’s collective memory.

Penelope Bastidas, of New York, left, and Stephen Spelman, of Wesley Chapel, support each other with a hug, during a moment of silence before the ceremony to unveil a permanent 9/11 memorial at the Tampa Premium Outlets. Bastidas’ husband, Lt. Mario Bastidas, was a paramedic with the New York Fire Department. He passed away in 2017 from a 9/11-related cancer. Spelman was an EMT with the NYFD and is a 9/11 survivor. Also pictured: Spelman’s 10-year-old son, Mathew, second from right, and Rotarian Eric Johnson. (Christine Holtzman)

On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners — resulting in 2,977 deaths in New York City, Washington D.C., and outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Remembering the day is deeply personal for Casella.

When terrorists flew into New York’s Twin Towers, Casella was an officer with the New York Police Department.

Because of a work-related injury, he was on limited duty that day, so wasn’t part of the chaos at Ground Zero, he said. He has, however, suffered deep personal losses.

On the day of the attacks, he lost his friend, Brian McDonald, a fellow officer who dressed just three lockers down from him.

Now, 18 years later, he has lost several friends who died from cancer — resulting from exposure to hazardous conditions at Ground Zero.

The permanent display at the mall includes a piece of metal salvaged from the New York Fire Department’s Ladder Truck 18. (Mary Rathman)

The permanent display at the mall includes a piece of metal salvaged from the New York Fire Department’s Ladder Truck 18. The truck became known as Fort Pitt because its entire crew survived by diving beneath it during the North Tower’s collapse.

Metal from the truck was donated by Stephen Spelman, whom Casella met during the late 1980s, when they worked as EMTs on an ambulance in New York.

Spelman, now retired, lives in Wesley Chapel.

He narrowly escaped death, when the North Tower began collapsing. He ran one way, while others ran another — and he never saw them again.

(Mary Rathman)

Spelman was invited to the Motts Military Museum in Groveport, Ohio, to share his story of survival. But, with Hurricane Irma in the forecast, he wasn’t able to make it.

Even though he didn’t make the appearance, the museum gave him the piece of metal that’s now on display at the mall.

Spelman said he tried for two years to find a permanent home to display the piece, until someone suggested that he approach Tampa Premium Outlets. As a result, he said, what initially felt like a burden, has turned out to be a great gift.

Last weekend’s event began with a memorial run, but there were a great number of walkers, too.

When a Pasco County Fire Rescue Truck blew its horn, signifying the start of the run,
participants raced off in high gear from the starting line. (Christine Holtzman)

There was a moment of silence before Stephen Spelman’s 10-year-old son, Mathew, rang a bell, at 8:46 a.m., to mark the time when the North Tower was struck.

Another high point of the day was a “Missing Man” flyby maneuver performed by a Pasco Sheriff’s Office helicopter.

Scores of Rotarians, elected leaders and members of the public attended the memorial dedication.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, Pasco County commissioners Mike Moore, Jack Mariano and Mike Wells, and other speakers, including Casella, offered remarks.

Seven-year-old Cole Roberge Pierce (in blue shirt), a member of Cub Scouts Pack 149, hands out flags to runners, as they cross the finish line. Boy Scouts Troop 149 members also were passing out flags. (Christine Holtzman)

“As a New York City Police officer, I feel it’s my obligation,” Casella began, before being overcome with emotion. He composed himself, then added, in a softer voice, “to keep their memories live.”

Others were at the event, to pay tribute to the fallen, including several family members of New York City first responders.

Penelope Bastidas, the widow of Lt. Mario Bastidas (a paramedic with the New York Fire Department), flew in from New York to cut the ribbon at the ceremony. Her husband passed away in 2017 from a 9/11-related illness.

Now that the permanent memorial is in place, the Rotary Club plans to create a perpetual wall of heroes, each year honoring a  local hero from the community.

Published September 11, 2019

Honoring the anniversary of September 11

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Flag-wavers held their flags high, as drivers passing by on U.S. 41 honked their horns in support.

The red, white and blue draped with stars has always symbolized America, but on this particular Tuesday, it held a much more significant meaning. It was 17 years to the day of the 9/11 attacks.

Local members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, and other members of the community, stood outside the Old Lutz School, flags in hand, to commemorate the lives lost that horrific day.

Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, among others, came out front of the Old Lutz School to hold American flags high in remembrance of 9/11. (Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

They, like others in the country, paused to reflect and show gratitude to heroes past, and those still present.

The events of Sept. 11, 2001 changed the way of life in America.

On that morning, 19 men hijacked four U.S. commercial airplanes, crashing them into the Twin Towers in New York City, the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.  A total of 2,977 people were killed in the attacks orchestrated by al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, according to national reports.

The aftermath left many with long-term effects, both physical and emotional.

“In 2002, we started this because we wanted to remember,” said Pat Serio, coordinator of the event. “We wanted to share our patriotism and support.”

Serio, like others, knows exactly where she was when she first heard of the attacks.

She was at home watching the news when regular broadcasting was interrupted by the flowing smoke from the World Trade Center.

Her initial reaction was: ““It has to be an aviation problem,” she recalled.

Not long after, Serio came to find out that the country was under attack.

“As a (native) New Yorker, I felt the impact,” Serio added.

Dee Knerr, who also took part in the flag-waving tribute, said she was scheduled to fly back to Florida on Sept.11, after visiting family in Ohio.

“I was scheduled to fly home that afternoon, getting ready to go to the airport,” said Knerr. “Of course, all the flights were cancelled.”

After working 40 years at the Lutz Post Office, Knerr is now retired and dedicates her time to the woman’s club.

Besides remembering the lives that were lost on Sept. 11, the tribute was also intended to honor American troops, law enforcement and firefighters.

“They put their lives out there every day for us,” said Knerr. “I want to thank them all from the bottom of my heart.”

Ben Nevel, a member of the Citizens for the Old Lutz School Building, also took part in the tribute.

“We all need to stand together,” said Nevel, a veteran of the Vietnam War.

Another member of the crowd was Linda Mitchell, a Lutz native and retired teacher.

She recalled being conflicted, as the news broke about the terrorist attacks.

She decided not to show the news coverage in her class.

“It was hard being a teacher during that day,” she said. “We wanted to know as citizens what was going on, but we were protecting our students.”

Before retirement, she had the opportunity to teach children who were born after 9/11.

She said there was a stark contrast between how students who lived during the incident perceived it, and those who came after.

The memorial also came as something personal for Mitchell, as both her husband and son serve as Hillsborough County firefighters.

In waving their flags, the men and women gathered in front of the Old Lutz School were reminding those passing by about the need to remember the fallen, and to express gratitude for the men and women who continue to put themselves in harm’s way, whether they are wearing military uniforms, or serving as first responders.

Published September 19, 2018

Disaster expo offers valuable info — and swag, too

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Visitors to the Pasco County Disaster Expo could find answers to nearly any question they had about preparing for a disaster, and responding in the aftermath.

And, they could also load up on all sorts of freebies.

Ralph McCullough, president of the Gulf Coast ARC, says that amateur radio operators can provide a vital source of communication to help keep information flowing during and after disasters. (B.C. Manion)

They could pick up a can of Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli and a gallon of water, courtesy of Pasco County Walmart stores.

At other expo tables, they could pick up a rain poncho, a waterproof cellphone protector, hand sanitizer, a keychain, a notebook, pens, reusable tote bags, insect repellent and bookmarks, among other things.

Throughout the expo, there were people waiting to provide information aimed at helping to prepare for a possible disaster, what to do when a disaster threatens and where to turn for help in the aftermath.

There were booklets, fact sheets and plastic cards chock-full of information aimed at helping, and there were plenty of people on-hand to field questions and provide answers.

Melinda Velez, manager of community impact initiatives for United Way of Pasco County, was on-hand at the expo to remind residents that calling 2-1-1 is a good option when people need information about resources that can help during the aftermath of a flood, high winds or other disasters.

Ralph McCullough, president of the Gulf Coast ARC, was one of the people working a booth. He was there to share how his organization of amateur ham radio operators can help when a disaster strikes.

“We can provide emergency communications back and forth to the shelters, get messages through for medical reasons, general welfare reasons. If the whole infrastructure is down, we can put our personnel into fire trucks, ambulances, what have you,” McCullough said.

That kind of help was provided during Hurricane Katrina and when the Twin Towers went down on Sept. 11, he said.

Pasco County has 37 registered members who were prepared to help during Hurricane Irma last year.

If there had been a direct hit, there were 70 radio operators on standby to help in case the whole infrastructure went down, he said.

Melinda Velez, manager of community impact initiatives for the United Way of Pasco, was at the expo, too, handing out 2-1-1 cards to remind residents that the number can help people find resources quickly to respond to their needs when a disaster strikes.

County officials have plenty of vehicles to use when the area is hit by high winds, flooding or both.

The booth was also giving out a freebie: A small kit containing first-aid bandages and disposable towelettes.

Being prepared is important, Velez said. “Last year was one for the record. Most of New Port Richey was on evacuation.”

Frankie Gulledge, an underground crew chief for the Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative Inc., was there, too.

He demonstrated the dangers involved in having contact with overhead electrical lines and downed power lines.

His message? Keep your distance from overhead electrical lines and downed power lines.

Outside of the expo hall, there was an assortment of emergency vehicles, which can clear out debris, drive through high waters and be used in water rescues, among other things.

Useful numbers
These Pasco County numbers could prove useful in the aftermath of a disaster:

Customer service: (727) 847-2411

Emergency Management: (727) 847-8137

Human Services: (727) 834-3297

Pasco County Sheriff’s Non-Emergency Number: (727) 847-8102

United Way: 2-1-1

Website: PascoCountyFl.net

Emergency supply list

  • One gallon of water per day per person for at least three days
  • A three-day supply of nonperishable food and a can opener to open canned foods
  • Battery-powered or hand crank radio, and a N.O.A.A. Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries
  • First-aid kit
  • Whistle to signal for help
  • Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic
  • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
  • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
  • Local maps

Other items to consider for emergency supply kit

  • Prescription medications and eyeglasses
  • Infant formula and diapers
  • Important family documents stored in a waterproof plastic container, including insurance policies, identification and bank account information
  • Cash
  • Sleeping bag or blanket for each person
  • Change of clothing
  • Games for kids

Source: FEMA, Ready.gov

Published June 13, 2018