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THE DAILY PRESS & ARGUS: LOOKING BACK

TEN YEARS LATER: SEPT. 11, 2001-SEPT. 11, 2011

Best Bets ............2ACalendar ..............4CEditorials ............8A Letters ................8ALifestyle ..............1C

Lottery ................2AMedia Mix ..........5C Nation/World ....11ANames & Faces ....3CNews Briefs ........7A

Obituaries ..........4ASports ..................1B State..................10ATravel ..................6C Week Ahead........7A

INDEX

From left, Marion Township resident Lisa Tincu stands infront of the World Trade Center towers two days beforethey fell. Alicia Titus, daughter of Gregory residents Bevand John Titus, was a flight attendant on United AirlinesFlight 175, which crashed into the South Tower of theWorld Trade Center. Marion Township resident Shane Tincuwas in New York City on Sept. 9, 2001, celebrating his thirdwedding anniversary with his wife. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

By Lisa Roose-ChurchDAILY PRESS & ARGUS

Gregory resident Bev Titus was sud-denly and unexplainably woken up themorning of Sept. 11, 2001, by what sherecalls as the sound of the voice of heroldest daughter, Alicia Titus.

She immediately turned on the televi-sion — something she never did, her hus-band said — at 8:42 a.m. and watched inhorror as a plane slammed into the WorldTrade Center’s South Tower at 9:03 a.m.

“We didn’t know it at the time, but sheturned on the TV in time to witnessAlicia’s plane crash,” John Titus said.

Alicia Titus, 28, a flight attendant aboardUnited Airlines Flight 175, is among thethousands who died when hijacked planeshit the World Trade Center in New YorkCity and the Pentagon. Others died when ahijacked plane crashed in a Pennsylvaniafield.

Today, families like the Tituses are pub-licly sharing their pain at memorial servic-es throughout the country. Such a memori-

al event is a 9 a.m. unveiling of a 9/11memorial today at the Brighton Area FireDepartment’s main station at 615 W. GrandRiver Ave.

The Daily Press & Argus askedLivingston County residents to sharetheir memories, thoughts or emotionsabout the terrorist attacks.

Ford Motor Co. product engineerRobert Egenolf was preparing for ameeting when he learned about theattacks. His first thought: His father,Bruce Egenolf, an electrician worked atthe World Trade Center.

The family did not know it, but BruceEgenolf was on the ground floor of one ofthe World Trade Center towers when itwas attacked. He heard debris fallingand heard bodies hitting the lobby roof.

Robert Egenolf, of Brighton Township,reasoned the crash was an accidentbecause, after all, his father had workedat the former Pan Am Building (now theMetLife Building) in New York City.

Several area residentswere at ground zeroin the days followingSept. 11, 2001, tohelp in any way theycould. See page 5A.

Livingston Countyresidents share theirmemories of Sept. 11,2001, and how theday changed theirlives. See page 3A.

Events to mark 9/11are planned today,including a ceremonyto dedicate a 9/11memorial in Brighton.See page 6A.

Browse our online special section, “How 9-11Changed America,” at livingstondaily.com.

Inside:Inside:Inside:MORE COVERAGE INSIDE AND ON THE WEB

Lives changed and livesremembered on 10thanniversary of attacks

9/11

Sept. 20, 2001Sept. 13, 2001Sept. 12, 2001Continued on page 4

The Daily Press & Argus asked Living-ston County residents to share their memo-ries, thoughts or emotions about the Sept.11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Responses came quickly — and in somecases, in minute detail. Below is a sam-pling of those memories:

A son’s dutyAs a military mom, Hartland Township

resident Kathleen Horning has experi-enced myriad emotions ranging from“pride to panic.”

Her son, Apache helicopter pilot DavidHorning, enlisted in the military in January2001, hoping to earn his helicopter licensethrough the military.

The Army warrant officer had just com-pleted advanced training and was at FortBragg in North Carolina when the Sept. 11,2001, terrorist attacks occurred.

He prepared for deployment.“When we got the word he was leaving

the country, we drove all night to get onehug goodbye,” Kathleen Horning said. “Myson had been protected by me the entiretime he was growing up, and now he stoodbefore me telling me if he didn’t come backto have a party in his memory and to telleveryone that touched his life that heappreciated them all.

“I thought to myself, as parents, wecould no longer protect him; he was goingoff to protect us. He told me we were justone airstrike from Detroit, and he had togo,” she added.

After his deployment to the Afghan-Pakistani border the first time, David Horn-ing, who is a 1996 graduate of HartlandHigh School, went to Guantanamo BayNaval Base, Cuba, in 2002; Iraq in 2003; andback to Afghanistan in 2009-2010 for anentire year.

“As a Michigan Military Mom, I havetoughened up,” Kathleen Horning said.“The more experience Dave has, the moremy confidence grows that he is a verycapable, intelligent pilot and an excellentsoldier.”

A sign of future peaceFor Judy Lee Sloan, Sept. 11, 2001, began

as she and her husband drove to Fairfax,Va., for the anticipated arrival of theirgrandchild.

They had the radio off, but when theystopped in Pennsylvania to grab a bite toeat, Judy Sloan felt an overwhelming needto call her son.

Her son, Jeffrey Sloan, works less than ahalf-mile from the Pentagon. He stood inhis office along with other staff memberswatching the horror unfold on the televi-sion. His wife, Kimberly Sloan, was at herobstetrician’s office for a final visit whenshe heard the news.

When Kimberly Sloan was unable toreach her husband by phone, she panickedand was admitted to the hospital when herblood pressure spiked.

Eventually, the couple found each otherat home, which is where Judy Sloanreached them.

“Mom, do you know what’s going on?”her daughter-in-law asked.

“Are you all right, honey?” Judy Sloanreplied.

Jeffrey Sloan then got on the phone to tellher about the Twin Towers, the Pentagonand the “thousands of people killed.”

“I felt like I was listening to the OrsonWells drama,” she said.

“Like everyone else in the country hear-ing about the terrorism, those initial wordswere unbelievable,” she added.

Judy Sloan and her husband reachedtheir son 20 minutes after their grandson,Calvin Sloan, was born.

They held the baby within an hour of hisbirth.

“In the midst of a national tragedy, a newlife had come into the world,” Judy Sloansaid. “He is a sign of love and hope, andthat had to be our focus. I hugged him closeto me. …

“Everyone has a personal story of Sept.11 … and that baby is the hope for futurepeace,” she added.

Stranded in CanadaHowell residents Maurice and Marie St.

Germain were celebrating their 47th wed-ding anniversary when the terroristattacks occurred.

They, along with friends, had justentered the tunnel from Detroit to Windsor,Ontario, Canada, on their way to theWindsor casino for a one-day trip of gam-bling the moment the first plane crashedinto the World Trade Center.

Upon the news of the second planecrashing, they were told they would not beallowed to leave Canada “until furthernotice.”

Among their group was a friend who wasin his 70s and on multiple heart medica-tions after surviving two open-heart sur-geries. However, their companion had notbrought his medications because it wasonly supposed to be a one-day trip.

“If we couldn’t get back the same day,there would be no way to get the meds ourfriend desperately needed,” Maurice St.Germain said.

“Needless to say, we spent a very nerv-ous day, and were able to return to the U.S.on schedule after the border was reopened.However, it did take an inordinate amountof time to get through U.S. customs,” hecontinued. “We breathed a sigh of reliefupon exiting U.S. customs.

“We will always remember where wewere at that exact moment on Sept. 11,2001,” he said.

Grateful for life, countryBecky Cwiek of Brighton Township said

the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks “changed my lifeforever.”

Cwiek saw the burning towers on morethan 100 display televisions at ABC Ware-house in Brighton.

“I made a quick purchase and rushedhome with my 3-year-old, only to find outthe first tower had just collapsed,” shesaid. “A few weeks later, I was diagnosedwith breast cancer.

“This 10-year anniversary has a specialmeaning to me. I am incredibly grateful forboth my life and my country,” Cwiek said.

Cwiek has been in remission for 10 years— and as a result of her diagnosis, she haschanged her life completely. She dedicatesher life to advocacy work and is co-founderof the Michigan Breast Cancer Coalition.

Cwiek works in the oncology departmentat the University of Michigan MedicalCenter while she is earning a degree in thehealth field from Cleary University.

From routine to disbeliefLynn Bishop and her husband, who were

living in the Florida Keys in 2001, had justtaken their boat to a popular breakfastrestaurant, the Tropical Cafe, where theyheard about the terrorist attacks

They docked their boat, went inside andfound people clustered around a television.Another restaurant patron told the Bishopsabout the World Trade Center, and theywatched as the second plane flew into thesecond tower.

“That was when people began sayingthat it was a deliberate act,” said Bishop,who now lives in Brighton Township. “Allthe way home, I kept thinking that it could-n’t be happening; that when we got home, Iwould turn on the TV and find that it wassome kind of hoax. ...

“It is frightening to me that there are somany people who hate us and want todestroy us,” she added.

Trip home turns stoicAs Carrie Newstead and her family

returned home from Maryland, theyturned their cell phones off and listened tomusic.

They stopped for gas and to stretchwhile traveling the Pennsylvania turnpike.

“That’s when we heard the news that theTwin Towers had been hit and one had fall-en,” Newstead said.

The rest of their trip was spent listeningto the drama play out on the radio whilereturning numerous phone messages fromconcerned family members who knew theNewstead family’s travel route was nearSomerset, Pa., the site of United AirlinesFlight 93 that crashed.

“Our son, Mitchell, who was 5 years oldat the time, had said during the trip, ‘Thereis a huge plane superclose to the ground,’ ”Newstead said. “We didn’t think much of itat the time, but he very well could have wit-nessed the crash of Flight 93. We will neverforget that day, and never had I wanted tobe home so badly.”

Birthday elation turns sadPinckney resident Dorothy Fedorczak

Adkins and her husband spent Sept. 10,2001, celebrating his 74th birthday.

The next day, they had a long to-do listand set out for Howell with the intent ofaccomplishing every task on their list.

Their first stop was at the state secre-tary of state office, but the door waslocked. At their second stop, R&D ScrewProducts, Adkins walked into a back officejust as the second plane struck the WorldTrade Center.

“Oh my god; that’s a suicide bombing,”

Adkins said as she thought about WorldWar II and Pearl Harbor.

“When we got home, I noticed the clear,blue sky — no planes, no vapors. Thesilence was unreal,” Adkins said. “What aheartbreaking day that was — and is toremember. That, 10 years ago, affected mylife in many ways.

“It reminded me to see how short lifereally is, and events like this can happenand come about anytime,” she said. “Thisrude awakening makes me hug a littletighter, love a lot harder, walk much taller.God bless America.” she added.

3ASunday, September 11, 2011-DAILY PRESS & ARGUS

TEN YEARS LATER: SEPT. 11, 2001

A day the world was alteredCounty residents share their memories of the attacks

At top, Calvin Sloan was born in Fairfax,Va., just hours after the Sept. 11, 2001, ter-rorist attacks. Below, today, the grandsonof area resident Judy Lee Sloan is 10 yearsold. “Everyone has a personal story ofSept. 11 … and that baby is the hope forfuture peace,” Judy Sloan said.

Becky Cwiek of Brighton Township, left, said the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks changed her lifeforever. Cwiek saw the burning towers on more than 100 display televisions at ABCWarehouse in Brighton. “I made a quick purchase and rushed home with my 3-year-old,only to find out the first tower had just collapsed,” she said. “A few weeks later, I wasdiagnosed with breast cancer. This 10-year anniversary has a special meaning to me. I amincredibly grateful for both my life and my country,” she explained.

Marie and Maurice St. Germain were celebrating their 47th wedding anniversary withfriends Sept. 11, 2001, on a trip to the casino in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Upon thenews of the second plane crashing into the World Trade Center, they were told theywould not be allowed to leave Canada “until further notice.” SUBMITTED PHOTOS

COMMUNITY

Continued from page 1

A helicopter crashed intothe building in 1977, andthere had been other smallaircraft accidents through-out the years.

Then, Robert Egenolfheard about the secondplane striking the secondtower.

“It was, obviously, not anaccident,” he said. “That iswhen I started to panic.”

Robert Egenolf called hisbrother, who lived in SanDiego, and then his mother.Neither had heard from thefamily patriarch. While hepacked to head home fromwork, Robert Egenolf’smind raced in fear.

“All I could think aboutwas that he would neversee his kids get married orsee his future grandchil-dren,” said the father oftwo children.

It was a long two hours orthree hours before theEgenolf family learned thatBruce Egenolf was able towalk safely away from thebuildings.

“Had the attacks hap-pened a week or so earlier,he may not still be here,”Robert Egenolf said. “Hehad been involved withinstalling antennas on theroof of one of the buildings.… His electrical union lost30-plus guys that day in thetowers, (and) he was neverthe same. He retired short-ly afterward.”

Brighton resident SarahGrusin worked at the Smith-sonian Institution NationalMuseum of Natural Historyacross from the NationalMall in Washington, D.C., onSept. 11, 2001, when shenoticed the sky “was a bril-liant electric-blue.” She hadbarely reached her desk thatmorning when her husbandcalled to tell her the WorldTrade Center had been hit.

A phone call from herdaughter indicating shesaw smoke from the Mallsent Grusin outside.

“Mostly, steam cloudstwirled into the air, then theground shook,” Grusin, for-merly of Falls Church, Va.,said. “Smoke rose fromacross the Potomac; it wasnot clear from where.”

She rushed back into theoffice to watch TV when aco-worker asked, “Wait!Where’s the other tower?”

As sadness stilled theroom, Grusin and her co-workers realized there wasanother plane still unac-counted for, and they won-dered if it was headedtoward Washington.

“We were paralyzed withfear,” she said. “We wereafraid to look outside —afraid for all our friends, ourcountry. … Working in Wash-ington, D.C., you know thecity’s a target, but not untilSept. 11 did we really under-stand what that meant. I amstill suspicious of blue skies.”

Livingston County resi-dent Linda Seifried and hermother, Phyllis Douglas,were in Washington, D.C.,touring all the usual monu-ments when they made theWhite House their last stop.

They were standing inline a few feet from theentrance when a group ofSecret Service agents “camerunning out … screamingfor all of us to run awayfrom the White House,”Seifried said.

“We all turned to run, andyou could see a huge cloudof black smoke rising in thesky from over the hill wherethe Pentagon sat,” she said.“At that point, we knewsomething was seriouslywrong. Later, we learnedexactly why they wanted usto run away from the WhiteHouse — they thought itwas going to be attacked.”

Seifried and her mother,who was 76 at the time, rantoward their hotel, stopping

when her mother said, “Stoprunning. I have to take anerve pill.”

They stopped and bothwomen took a pill.

As the women began torun again, they saw Armypersonnel in their vehicleswith guns in their hands atevery intersection.

“We just kept running,”Seifried said. “When we gotback to the hotel, they hadthe news on the lobby TV,and we finally found outwhat had happened.”

Marion Township resi-dent Lisa Tincu, a formerDaily Press & Argus staffer,spent Sept. 9, 2001, cele-brating her third weddinganniversary in New York.

She and husband, ShaneTincu, toured the TwinTowers, where they mar-veled at the vendors in theplaza, enjoyed the music onthe speakers and spokewith an elevator attendantas they contemplatedwhether and when to go tothe top of the towers.

“If you already went tothe top of the Empire StateBuilding, save your money;do it next time,” the eleva-tor operator advised.

Two days later, the tow-ers fell, and Lisa Tincu saidshe has never learnedwhether the man in the ele-vator made it out alive, butshe is forever grateful forhis advice.

“It really hit us hard aseverything about the tow-ers was still engraved inour minds,” she added.

Fowlerville resident AnnJaeger, a New Jersey trans-plant, still has family inNew Jersey. She remem-bers visiting the towers asa child, including a Christ-mas party the family heldat Windows of the Worldrestaurant on the top floorsof the North Tower.

Jaeger’s sisters called totell her about the secondplane hitting the tower. Herbrother was on a trainheading into New York Citythat fatal morning.

“My mother is usually arock, and I can’t rememberever seeing her upset aboutanything my whole life,”Jaeger said. “The emotion in

her voice just made mystomach go into a knot. I feltlike I was right there watch-ing it as she talked aboutwhat she was watching onthe TV. … I visited NewJersey this July. Everybridge I drove under has anAmerican flag on it. Everyone. They have not forgot-ten. They never will.”

John Titus has spent thepast decade grieving for andmissing his oldest daughter,the flight attendant who diedon 9/11. He described her asa “very beautiful, vibrant,astutely intelligent and com-passionate young lady wholoved life and loved to trav-el.” He and Bev Titus, bothformer Schoolcraft Collegeadministrators and educa-tors who split their timebetween Gregory and St.Paris, Ohio, are social ac-tivists who speak out aboutcivilian casualties such astheir daughter.

“Alicia loved to meet peo-ple from all over theworld,” he said. “She wasvery adventuresome. Shesnowboarded down black-double-diamond mountains,skydived and backpackedacross Spain.”

John Titus wrote a bookabout his nightmare, “Los-ing Alicia: A Father’s Jour-ney after 9/11.” Today, hewill speak at a dedication inOhio for a monument thatincludes a piece of theSouth Tower. Urbana Uni-versity, where John Tituswas dean of students,established the Alicia TitusMemorial Peace Fund.

“It’s been a journey,” hesaid. “Writing was one ofthe things I did, reachingout to others and opening upto others when they reachedout to us, and speaking outon issues of peace and jus-tice, and against civiliancasualties ...

“The legacy that Alicialeft us with is one of tryingto get along and trying tounderstand different cul-tures,” John Titus said.“Could it have been pre-vented? My answer to thatis, yes, it could have. Therewas enough intelligenceand enough understandingof what was going to takeplace that, had they takensome steps at the time, itcould have been prevented.

“Had it been prevented,what would our world looklike now?” he asked.

Contact Daily Press &

Argus reporter Lisa Roose-

Church at (517) 552-2846 or at

lrchurch@gannett.com.

DAILY PRESS & ARGUS-Sunday, September 11, 2011

ORA JANE MITTSAge 86, of Fowlerville, died Friday,Sept. 9, 2011. She was born April9, 1925 in Kennett, Missouri toFrank & Minnie (Lincoln) Sides.She married Harvey Mitts on Oct.12, 1941, he preceded her in deathon April 26, 2005. She worked forFisher Body in Livonia for 16years, retiring in 1981. Survivingare 2 sons: Jerry (Mary) Mitts ofWebberville and Michael (Patricia)Mitts of Tenn., 8 grandchildrenand many great-grandchildren.She was preceded in death by herhusband, brother: Paul and 4 sis-ters: Asley, Daisy, Virgie andNaomi. Services 3:00 PM Mondayat Niblack Funeral Home with Rev.Jim Vander Schuur officiating.Interment in Greenwood Cemetery.Visitation from 1:00 PM until serv-ice time. Memorial contributionsmay be made to Hospice.www.niblackfuneralhome.com.

EDNA IRENE GEEROf Plainfield, MI, age 99, passedaway at Apple Blossom Hill,Hartland on Tuesday, September6, 2011. She was born the daugh-ter of Raymond and Cleo (Smith)Hadley on August 25, 1912 inWhite Oak Twp., MI. On June 28,1934 she married Wayne H. Geerand he preceded her in death in1999. Edna was always the care-taker of the family and anyone elsethat needed her care. Her life wasthe Plainfield Church, her family,and the Clover Blossom 4-H. Ednais survived by her children: Roger(Mary Lou) Geer of Trotwood, OH,Judy Jacobs of Unadilla, andPatricia (Bill Genshaw) MacArthurof Brighton. Also surviving are hersix grandchildren, many great-grandchildren, several great-great-grandchildren, many foster chil-dren, as well as her son-in-law,Duke Davis. In addition to her hus-band, she was preceded in deathby her daughter Carolanne Davis,sister Blanche Thigpin, and herson-in-law Jerry Jacobs. Funeralservices will be Monday,September 12, 2011 from theCaskey-Mitchell Funeral Home,Stockbridge at 1:00 p.m. withPastor Robert Miller officiating.The family will receive friends atthe funeral home on Monday from11:00 a.m. until the hour of serv-ice. Burial will follow at thePlainfield Cemetery. Expressionsof sympathy may be made to thePlainfield United Methodist Churchor St. Joseph Livingston Hospice.

ANTOINE E. (TONY)PAQUETTE

passed away in Hudson, FL onSeptember 3, 2011. He was bornNovember 7, 1938 in Montreal,Quebec, Canada. He came into thestate of Michigan in 1954 fromwhere he retired in 2000 from a43 year career with The DetroitFree Press, The Detroit News andDetroit Newspaper Agency andmoved to Hudson, FL. He was pre-deceased by his wife of 33 years,Mary Louise Paquette and son,John at age 19. Tony is survivedby his beloved wife Lynne Doloresand children, Catherine Louise(Karl) LeBlanc, Jacqueline (WayneSzczesniewski) Leonard, MarieTherese, Richard, Robert, Maurice(Shannon), Paul-Emile (Teresa),Madeleine (Keith) Dechy, James(Katherine), Michelle (Craig)Dechy, Anne-Marie (Daniel) Miller,Renee (Steven) Anderson; belovedstep-children, Larry (Lora) Smola,Richard Smola, William (Theresa)Smola; 34 grandchildren, onegreat-grandchild. He is also sur-vived by his brother Maurice(Patricia), sister, Irene (Jerry)Sanders, six nephews and many,many friends and relatives. Tonywas an active parishioner of St.Michael the Archangel Parish,Hudson FL; he was a Past GrandKnight Council #2659, Howell, MI,an active member of St. MichaelCouncil #10377, Hudson, FL; anactive member of St. Vincent dePaul Society, St. Michael Council;active member of Pasco Post-Polio Syndrome Group and theNorth Central Florida Post-PolioSupport Group. Tony was a pastmember of St. Joseph CatholicChurch in Howell where Mass ofResurrection will be heldWednesday, September 14 at12:00 noon (In-state 11 a.m.).Burial in Mt. Olivet Cemetery.Visitation will be Tuesday, 2-4 and6-8 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. atMacDonald’s Funeral Home,Howell (517-546-2800). In lieu offlowers, memorial contributionsmay be made to HPH Hospice,12107 Majestic Boulevard,Hudson, FL 34647. Please visit thefamily’s online guestbook at

macdonaldsfuneralhome.com

EDMUND BARSKIAge 88, of Brighton, MI passedaway Friday, September 9, 2011peacefully at his home. He wasborn December 13, 1922 inDetroit, MI a son of Casimir andJosephine (Majewski) Barski.Edmund was married to PhyllisBeebe for 64 years. He was anavid gardener, W.W. II NavyVeteran, a member of the Knightsof Columbus and an usher at St.Patrick Catholic Church. Prior tohis retirement in 1985 he hadbeen employed by Blue Cross andBlue Shield for many years.Edmund was preceded in death bydaughter Judy Ekquist, grandsonRobbie, and daughter-in-law, GinaBarski. He is survived by wifePhyllis Barski; children Joseph(Cyndi) Barski, John Barski,James Barski, and Janice Barski;grandchildren Erin, Caitlyn,Edmund, Dona, Jesse, Steven,Kenneth, Brandon and Jennifer;great-grandchildren Thomas andJordan and son-in-law, AlanEkquist. Family will receive friendson Monday, September 12, 2011at the Keehn Funeral Home from2-4 and 6-8 PM. Mass of theResurrection Tuesday at 10:30 AMat St. Patrick Catholic Church withRev. Fr. Mark J. Rutherford offici-ating. Final visitation begins at9:30 AM at the Church. Memorialcontributions in Edmund‘s nameare suggested to St. PatrickCatholic Church. Envelopes avail-able at the funeral home.

www.keehnfuneralhome.com

ARTHUR W. FULCHERAge 80 of Clare, passed awayTuesday, August 30, 2011 in Novi.Arthur was born the son of Earland Hazel Pauline (McGregor)Fulcher on October 20, 1930 inFarmington. Arthur was first mar-ried to Diane Lossing on April 4,1959, with her passing away onOctober 23, 1973. He was thenunited in marriage to Patricia Burkeon March 8, 1975, and she passedaway February 6, 2009. Arthur hadserved in the Michigan NationalGuard. He had lived in the Clarearea since 1985, having movedfrom Brighton. Arthur was a mem-ber of the Teamsters Union; he hadworked as a Heavy EquipmentOperator at Natural Aggregates inMilford. In recent years Arthur haddriven several Amish families fromthe Clare and Gladwin area. Arthurwas a member of the Clare Churchof the Nazarene.Arthur is survived by his daughtersKristi (Tor-Eddie) Fossbakk ofNovi, and Linda (Sonny) Grover ofClare; 6 grandchildren and 2 greatgrandchildren; as well as siblingsJerry, Duwayne, Nora, Betty andCarol. Arthur was predeceased byhis wife Diane and a brother Lee.A Memorial Service will be held onThursday, September 15, 2011 at11 A.M. at the Clare Church of theNazarene, with Pastor Jim Youngofficiating. Visitation will be heldprior to the services beginning at 9A.M. Arrangements were handledby the Clare Chapel of Stephenson-Wyman Funeral Home. On-lineguestbook at www.stephenson-wyman.com

4A

DAVE GARWOODAge 58, of Fowlerville, GarwoodHeating owner, died Thurs. Sept.8, 2011. Visitation 2-8PM SundaySept. 11 at Dillingham LiveranceChapel, Niblack Funeral Home.

HELEN BROWN HISERAge 91, of Ann Arbor and former-ly of Howell, passed awayThursday, September 8, 2011.Born April 2, 1920 in Brighton, shewas the daughter of Leonard andMary H. (Jones) Brown. Helenwas a 1938 graduate of HartlandHigh School. She had been a veryactive and long time member ofGrace Lutheran Church in Howell,recently attending Trinity LutheranChurch in Ann Arbor. Beloved wifeof the late Kenneth Ellis (1953)and the late Robert F. Hiser (2002).Loving mother of Bonnie (George)Loepke of Ann Arbor, SandySherman of Ilion, NY and RobertG. (Vinessa) Hiser of FarmingtonHills. Also survived by nine grand-children, 12 great-grandchildren,nine great-great-grandchildrenand her sister, Ruth Schreiber ofGlen Rock, WY. She was precededin death by two brothers and threesisters. Funeral services will beheld Wednesday, 11 a.m. (in state10 a.m.) at Grace Lutheran Church– Howell. Visitation Tuesday, 1 to4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at MacDonald’sFuneral Home – Howell (517-546-2800). Memorial contributions aresuggested to Grace LutheranChurch, Trinity Lutheran Church orArbor Hospice. Please visit thefamily’s online guestbook at

www.macdonaldsfuneralhome.com

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TEN YEARS LATER: SEPT. 11, 2001

A piece of World Trade Center steel taken fromground zero in New York City is escorted Saturdaymorning on Grand River Avenue by motorcyclists ofthe Patriot Guard Riders and Rolling ThunderMichigan Chapter 5 as well as area police and fireagencies. The procession’s destination was the mainstation of the Brighton Area Fire Department,where the steel is to become the centerpiece of a9/11 memorial honoring the 343 firefighters whodied as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Thededication ceremony starts at 9 a.m. today at themain fire station at 615 W. Grand River Ave. inBrighton. Residents can park and walk to the cere-mony, and there will be shuttle service from theparking lot at the Meijer store on Grand RiverAvenue. For more information on this and other9/11 events set for today across Livingston County,see page 6A. PHOTO BY ALAN WARD/DAILY PRESS & ARGUS

Sacred procession

Memories of tragedy, terror

Marion Township resident Lisa Tincu views the New Yorkskyline, dominated by the World Trade Center towers,days before the terrorist attacks in 2001. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Alicia Titus, daughter ofGregory residents Bev andJohn Titus, dons her flightattendant’s uniform. AliciaTitus was working aboardUnited Airlines Flight 175on Sept. 11, 2001. Thehijacked plane crashed intothe South Tower of theWorld Trade Center.

By Jim TottenDAILY PRESS & ARGUS

As he stepped off the subway on his wayto a 9:30 a.m. interview at St. Paul’s Chapelin Manhattan, seminary student DeonJohnson first saw smoke billowing fromone of the towers of the World TradeCenter, which is next to St. Paul’s.

It was Sept. 11, 2001. He and the other onlookers figured a

movie was being shot.Johnson, who is 33 and now the pastor at

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brighton,then heard the engines of a plane and sawan explosion at the other tower.

“You heard the plane, you saw the explo-sion and you saw bits of the buildingfalling,” Johnson said. “You felt it morethan you saw it.”

He and everyone else suddenly realizedit wasn’t a movie. They all started moving.

“My instinct was get back to the semi-nary,” Johnson said.

He took a cab, and in 10 minutes, he wasback the seminary, where the bells wereringing. He heard reports about the planescrashing into the building during the cabride, but he didn’t understand what washappening.

“What in the world is going on?” he said.“None of it made sense.”

Johnson was born in Barbados andmoved to New York City with his familywhen he was 14.

After the towers collapsed, he went out-side to the West Side Highway and pedes-trian walkway, which provides a clear viewof the World Trade Center and the Statue ofLiberty. He had often stood there afterdaily prayers to view the city.

“The World Trade Center and Statue ofLiberty were part of the scenery, and not tosee the World Trade Center was bizarre,”he said.

Instead, he saw a cloud of ash.Another thing struck him about that day

a decade earlier: It was a beautiful warmday with clear, blue skies.

“For a tragedy like that, you almost wantcloudy skies,” he said.

After numerous tries, Johnson said, heeventually reached his mother by tele-phone and told her he was OK.

On Sept. 12, 2001, he said all seminarystudents were called to serve as chaplainsat ground zero. Some were responsible fortalking with family members who came tothe site looking for loved ones. His taskwas making sure emergency respondershad water and to talk with them.

When they entered the perimeter aroundground zero, they had to walk 10 blocks toget to the actual working site.

“Once you got past Hudson Street, therewas nothing,” he said. “No people, no traf-fic. The birds were gone.

“It was, literally, (like) walking onto amovie set where all of humanity is gone,” hesaid. “That, to me, was the most eerie part.”

Although he later saw the rubble of theWorld Trade Center buildings, he said thevacant streets stayed with him.

“In a city where sidewalks are coveredwith people, it’s unreal,” Johnson said. “Youdon’t realize how much to you miss thehonking of horns.”

Johnson, who came to Brighton in 2006,said he avoided the recaps shown on televi-sion of the terrorist attacks, and he didn’twant to visit ground zero for a while. Hefelt if he went back too soon, it woulddiminish what happened there.

However, Johnson traveled to the sitewhen then-President George W. Bush visit-ed the area and spoke about tracking downthe people who were responsible.

He said the crowd’s reaction broadcaston television was completely the oppositeof what he saw that day. He said the televi-sion reports showed a crowd roaring withapplause and cheers.

“What you didn’t see was the other side,”Johnson said.

He said there were many emergencyworkers who looked “completely disgustedthat he would say that.”

“If we do that, we’re just like the peoplewho did this,” Johnson said.

He said the mood at ground zero wasn’tabout vengeance. It was about people doingtheir jobs and looking for bodies in the rubble.

Johnson said it was amazing to see howpeople pulled together following the attacks.

“I saw the worst that humanity had tooffer on Sept. 11,” he said. “On Sept. 12 and13, I saw the best that humanity had to offer.”

Contact Daily Press & Argus reporter Jim

Totten at (517) 548-7088 or at jtotten@gan-

nett.com.

By Christopher BehnanDAILY PRESS & ARGUS

Once he grasped the enormity of theday’s events, Sean Knudsen hopped in hiscar and made the 10-hour drive from hisHowell home to Lower Manhattan.

It was Sept. 11, 2001.At 10 p.m., Knudsen, then a Michigan

National Guardsman, was given specialmilitary clearance to enter ground zerowhere two planes struck and destroyedtwo towers of the World Trade Center amere handful of hours earlier.

He made the trip on his own accord,and was astounded at what he found —despite the wall-to-wall news coveragethroughout the day.

“There was no power when I firststepped out of my vehicle in LowerManhattan. There was about 9-10 inchesof ash on the ground,” Knudsen recalled.

“It was like walking in snow,” he said.Working under the command of the

New York National Guard, Knudsenattempted to find survivors in the rubble— to no avail.

For the next eight days, Knudsenworked shoulder to shoulder with mem-bers of the military and first respondersat ground zero. The first stage of the mis-sion was recovering human remains,which were temporarily stored at a near-by Burger King in a large cooler.

“I expected for there to be, literally,thousands of injured that would survive,(but) we were just finding remains andbody parts,” Knudsen recalled. “We wereputting them into buckets, sometimesinto garbage bags.”

Throughout his experience, Knudseninteracted with New York City firefight-ers and police officers.

A perimeter was set up around groundzero, and Knudsen, among other service-members, became swamped with peopleshouting out names and ages of lovedones who were in the towers when theplanes struck.

“They were just distraught, and a lotof them wanted to help to find familymembers or co-workers, but we couldn’tlet them in because the situation wasvolatile. … It was very unsafe. You had toturn away people that you didn’t want to,but our job was to keep the perimeterthere,” Knudsen said.

“There’s things you just don’t wantthose people to see,” he added.

Four years after 9/11, Knudsen wasdeployed to serve in Iraq.

In July 2005, Knudsen was knockedunconscious by a mortar attack in Tikrit,Iraq. The attack took place 20 feet awayfrom him.

He later waged a successful fight toobtain a Purple Heart medal from com-bat in Iraq.

Knudsen continues to recover fromwhat may be a traumatic brain injurystemming from the mortar attack.Equally challenging, however, is hisstruggle to live with imagery of 9/11.

He dreads Sept. 11 each year but hasvisited ground zero six times since 2001as part of counseling.

“It’s a knot in the gut. It’s a headachethat won’t go away. It’s a memory or abad dream that won’t go away,” he said.

“It’s not really closure because it nevergoes away. It always stays in your mind— the memory, the people,” he added.

Another vantage pointAbout a block from New York’s ground

zero, Don Cortez was among dozens ofvolunteers stationed at St. Paul’s Chapelproviding fresh supplies and a restingplace for first responders and volunteers.

Cortez was one of 75 volunteers fromShalom Lutheran Church in PutnamTownship who volunteered at St. Paul’s inOctober and November 2001.

While most churches are welcoming toall, this one had to carefully watch whowas let in and out, he explained.

“It was really kind of a cordoned-offarea. We had to show credentials to get tothe church,” Cortez said.

An iron gate in front of St. Paul’sappears in scores of 9/11 photos becauseit became a makeshift memorial for vic-tims of the attacks. By the time ofCortez’s trip in November, the gate wascovered with remembrances of lovedones, as well as thank-you notes to firstresponders who risked — and in manycases, gave — their lives Sept. 11, 2001.

“It wrenches your heart,” Cortez said.Upon his arrival, he noticed that win-

dows had been blown out in buildingsseven blocks out from the church. Thechurch, meanwhile, was unharmed, aswas a cemetery behind it.

“That was tremendous realizing at thatpoint that, ‘You know what? There’ssomebody bigger than us that workedhere,’ ” he said.

Contact Daily Press & Argus reporter

Christopher Behnan at (517) 548-7108 or at

cbehnan@gannett.com.

5ASunday, September 11, 2011-DAILY PRESS & ARGUS

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TEN YEARS LATER: SEPT. 11, 2001

Brighton pastorwas on NYC sitewhen plane hit

Sifting through rubble, bodies;giving respite to the responders

Struggle, turmoil at ground zero9/11

The Rev. Deon Johnson of St. Paul’s Epis-copal Church in Brighton had just finishedan interview at St. Paul’s Chapel nearground zero in New York City when theplanes hit the World Trade Center. He andother seminary students were called towork at ground zero in the days after theattacks. “I saw the worst that humanityhad to offer on Sept. 11,” he said. “OnSept. 12 and 13, I saw the best thathumanity had to offer.” SUBMITTED PHOTO

DAILY PRESS & ARGUS-Sunday, September 11, 20116A

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STATE OF MICHIGAN

PROBATE COURT

LIVINGSTON COUNTY

ESTATE OF MARIE M.

O’SHAUGHNESSY, DECEAS-

ED. DATE OF BIRTH: 03-21-

1924, FILE NO. 2011-335635-

DE.

TO ALL CREDITORS:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: The

decedent, Marie M.

O’Shaughnessy, who lived at

11745 Brandywine Drive,

Brighton, Michigan died 11-07-

2004.

Creditors of the decedent are

notified that all claims against the

estate will be forever barred

unless presented to Alvin

O’Shaughnessy, named personal

representative or proposed per-

sonal representative, or to both

the probate court at 204 S.

Highlander Way, Howell and the

named/proposed personal repre-

sentative within 4 months after the

date of publication of this notice.

Dated: 9-6-11

Alvin O’Shaughnessy

Personal Representative

11745 Brandywine Drive

Brighton, MI 48114

810-229-0890

ATTORNEY:

Gregory G. Dean (P49542), 407

E. Grand River Ave., Howell, MI

48843, 248-921-5098.

(9-11-11 DAILY 538121)

CITY OF BRIGHTON

PUBLIC INFORMATION

MEETING NOTICE

The City of Brighton City Manager Dana Foster will con-

duct upcoming Informational Meetings regarding recent

Citizen recommended Public Improvement Needs and related

Citizens' Recommendations on how to fund Public

Improvement Needs for the Brighton community. The recom-

mendations are related to a report from a Citizens Advisory

Task Force presented to the Brighton City Council in the

Spring of 2011.

The Informational Meetings on Public Improvements & a

related Possible Funding plan for the improvements will be

conducted at the City of Brighton City Hall in the City Council

Meeting Room on the following dates and times:

Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 6:30 pm

Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 6:30 pm

Brighton City Hall is located 200 North First Street,

Brighton, Michigan 48116.

At these informational meetings, the City Manager will

first give a slide presentation regarding the City of Brighton's

pending public improvement needs. The slide presentation

will also address the question of why the City's budget has

been unable to provide funding for several important needed

public improvements that have been deferred for several

years. The slide presentation will also summarize the recom-

mendations for how to fund critical public improvements that

were submitted to the City Council by a Citizens Advisory

Task Force on Capital Improvements Funding.

After the slide presentation, the City Manager will then

answer questions from citizens who are in attendance at the

two informational meetings. The City Manager will also ask

the audience to provide suggestions and inputs regarding

public improvement needs in our city. All interested citizens

are encouraged to attend the two information meetings to

participate in a public conversation about what Public

Improvements are needed the most in the City of Brighton

and how to pay for or finance the Improvements. The City

Manager and other city staff members in attendance will also

relay suggestions and inputs from the audience to the City

Council.

The City Manager will also have handouts of City budget

related information available at the meetings for citizens in

attendance to take home for further review which will provide

additional detail that the City Manager will not have time to

cover in the slide presentation.

To comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

Any citizen requesting accommodation to attend this meet-

ing/function and/or to obtain this notice in alternate formats,

please contact David Blackmar, ADA Coordinator (810) 225-

8001, at least three business days prior to the meeting/func-

tion.

DANA W. FOSTER

(9-4/11/25-11 DAILY 537664) CITY MANAGER

This Veteran’s Day, we will honor the men

and women of the armed forces, both past

& present, by recognizing them in our

special American Heroes page on

November 11th.

Help us recognize those

who serve their country.

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323 E. Grand River, Howell, MI 48843

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Recognize Our American Heroes

Honor Those

Who Serveboth past and present

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By Jason Carmel DavisDAILY PRESS & ARGUS

The smell of ground zerois always with Joan Meinke.

“(It) is always in my mindin some way, be it a burningbuilding or something else.It was unlike anything I’veever smelled before. Therewere so many elements inthe smell.” she said.

“I definitely think aboutthat experience every daybecause a lot of differentthings remind me of it,”Meinke added.

A volunteer for the Am-erican Red Cross for abouta year-and-a-half in Sept-ember 2001, Meinke hadnot yet been deployed toassist in any relief efforts.

That changed at 7:12 p.m.Sept. 11, 2001, when shereceived a phone call fromthe mid-Michigan chapterrequesting her services fol-lowing the 9/11 terroristattacks.

“I immediately said, ‘Ofcourse, I’ll go,’ ” said Meinke,now the interim director ofthe Livingston County chap-ter of the American RedCross.

“Then, I thought aboutthe fact that this would bemy first deployment, so Italked it over with my hus-band, and his response was,‘Of course, you should go.’ ”

Meinke’s husband sup-ported the trip because hishealth at the time would notallow him to help the vic-tims of the worst attack onAmerican soil in history.

Meinke headed Sept. 30,2001, to New York’s La-Guardia Airport from De-troit Metropolitan Airport.Naturally, airport securityhad already been tight-ened, she said, and shenoticed a large number ofNational Guard troops sta-tioned in the airport.

While many Americanshad apprehensions aboutflying following the attacks,Meinke said she didn’t havetime to worry.

“When I got ready to goand started packing, I wasjust focused on how I couldhelp when I got to myassignment and how I couldrepresent the AmericanRed Cross,” Meinke said.

Meinke and other volun-teers were housed in aManhattan hotel about twoblocks away from the head-quarters of the UnitedNations. The Red Cross andother organizations re-ceived a discounted rate onrooms, she said, because notourists were coming intothe city at that time.

“My room was on the 35thfloor,” Meinke said, “and Ican remember lookingdown into Lower Manhattan

and seeing smoke risingfrom where the towers fell— three weeks after the dis-aster took place.”

Meinke, who has sinceaided relief efforts in Tus-caloosa, Ala.; and Joplin,Mo.; following flooding andtornadoes, was a part of thesecond wave of disasterresponders deployed toNew York. She worked atground zero in a diningarea that was open 24 hoursa day, seven days a weekfor three weeks.

Volunteers, Meinke said,worked 12-hour shifts,serving firefighters, policeofficers, government offi-cials from organizationssuch as the CIA and FBI,and utility workers.

“I was sitting talking withone worker one day, and Igot up to refill his coffee andhe said he had to get back towork,” Meinke said. “Onetear streamed down his face.His cousin had been missing.By that time, it was thoughtno one would be able to findhim, but the worker hadn’tgiven up hope.”

Meinke was in a state ofshock seeing the affectedarea for the first time.

“I stopped in my tracks,”Meinke said. “It was soabrupt, the person behindme bumped right into me.”

Meinke said her stay inNew York made her appre-ciate every day.

“It helped me put lifeinto a different perspec-tive,” Meinke said. “Allwe’re really given is today.I appreciate every day, andnow think about how I’mgoing to live every day.What a humbling experi-ence that was.”

Contact Daily Press &

Argus reporter Jason Carmel

Davis at (517) 552-2857 or at

jcdavis@gannett.com.

TEN YEARS LATER: SEPT. 11, 2001

Livingston County’s state and nationallawmakers, as well as Michigan officials,shared their thoughts on the 10th anniver-sary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks:

• State Rep. Bill Rogers, R-GenoaTownship, honored Brighton Area Fire ChiefLarry Lane and Fire Marshal MichaelO’Brian last week in Lansing.

“Sept. 11 will always be an important dayfor our country, and it was fitting to have aceremony to commemorate the lives lost in2001 on the House floor today,” Rogers saidlast week.

“Our first responders are truly heroes ofour communities, and I want to thank ChiefLane, … O’Brian and all the first respon-ders for putting their lives on the lineevery day for our safety,” he added.

• State Rep. Cindy Denby, R-HandyTownship, honored Hartland Area FireChief Adam Carroll and Fowlerville PoliceChief Thomas Couling last week in Lansing.

“Today’s ceremony was the perfect wayto honor those who lost their lives in thehorrific tragedy of 9/11 and honor thosefirst responders who protect us from harmon a daily basis,” Denby said last week.

“I was honored to have Chiefs Carroll

and Couling join me for this ceremony andthank them for being dedicated to the safe-ty of our area residents,” she continued.

• “As we observe this solemn anniver-sary, it is appropriate that we look to thefuture as well. Let each of us commit toshare our time and talents to build astronger Michigan and America,” saidGov. Rick Snyder.

• Michigan Attorney General BillSchuette said: “Our hearts go out to thenearly 3,000 families who lost loved ones inthat difficult hour for America. May Godbe with them as we recall the events of thattragic day 10 years ago. We must rededi-cate ourselves to protecting and defendingthis land of the free and home of the brave.As Thomas Jefferson once said, ‘The priceof liberty is eternal vigilance.’ ”

• U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing,said: “The 10th anniversary of 9/11 is atime for our country to remember thosewho lost their lives and pay tribute to thefirst responders and troops who sacrificedso much then, and continue to put theirlives on the line for all of us today. This is atime to put politics aside and renew thespirit of unity, cooperation and public serv-ice that engulfed our nation a decade ago.”

First deploymentfor volunteerwas unparalleled

9/11

“It helped meput life into a different perspective. All we’re reallygiven is today. Iappreciate everyday, and nowthink about howI’m going to liveevery day. Whata humblingexperience that was.”JOAN MEINKEInterim director, Livingston County chapter of the American Red Cross

9/11 EVENTS• The Brighton Area FireDepartment will hold adedication today for itsunveiling of a 9/11 memo-rial that honors the 343firefighters who died inthe Sept. 11, 2001, terror-ist attacks in New York.The ceremony starts at 9a.m. at the main fire sta-tion at 615 W. GrandRiver Ave. in Brighton.Grand River Avenue willbe closed from MainStreet to Cross Streetstarting at 8 a.m. today,and it will be reopened at11 a.m. Residents canpark and walk to the cer-emony, and there will beshuttle service from theparking lot at Meijer.The memorial has a pieceof steel from the WorldTrade Center, and thesteel piece is suspendedamong four steel beamsin front of the BrightonArea Fire Department’smain station. LindhoutAssociates Architectsdesigned the memorial,and numerous Brighton-area businesses andorganizations donatedtheir services and materi-als to construct thismemorial with no ex-pense to taxpayers.Speakers will includeBrighton Fire Chief LarryLane; Brighton MayorRicci Bandkau; state Rep.Bill Rogers, R-Genoa Town-ship; U.S. Rep. MikeRogers, R-Brighton, andthe Rev. Deon Johnson ofSt. Paul’s Episcopal Church.In April, five Brighton fire-fighters drove 12 hours topick up the artifact of theWorld Trade Center fromthe Port Authority of NewYork.• The Ride for the Redwill raise money for theLivingston County chapterof the American RedCross. Motorcyclists willgo on a 60-mile ridethrough Livingston andWashtenaw countiesimmediately followingtoday’s 9/11 memorialdedication. The ride endsat Burroughs Tavern, 5311Brighton Road in GenoaTownship.• RE/MAX Platinum willhold a memorial service at2 p.m. today at 6870Grand River Ave., GenoaTownship. Realtors willplace 3,000 flags in rowson the company’s frontlawn to honor those wholost their lives in the ter-rorist attacks. The Rev.Bradley Trask will providea eulogy and prayer serv-ice, and trumpeter GeraldWeingerter will perform“Taps.”

Officials reflect on anniversary

From left, state Rep. Joe Hune, R-Hamburg Township; Brighton Area Fire Chief LarryLane; Brighton Fire Marshal Michael O’Brian; and state Rep. Bill Rogers, R-GenoaTownship, stand in the Capitol Rotunda in Lansing as lawmakers honored some of thefirst responders in the state in dedication to the 9/11 anniversary. SUBMITTED PHOTO

POLITICS

A member of the Pa-triot Guard Riders hugsGold Star mother TeriJohnson as they talkabout her son, Spc.Joseph Johnson, killedin Kunduz, Afghanistan,on June 10, 2010. Mili-tary Families Unitedheld an event Saturdayfrom 1-4 p.m. to honorGold Star families —families of those whohave died in combat —at the Howell Armory.PHOTO BY ALAN WARD/DAILY

PRESS & ARGUS

Ten years ago, whenAmerica suffered its worstterrorist attack, our newspa-per was barely a year old. Thenext morning, our newspaperproduced 18 pages of cover-age from the event that hasbecome etched in Americanminds as 9/11.

Our voices included thevoices of many, some in highpositions and some regularpeople, all of whom were try-ing to make sense of an actionthat made no sense. What fol-lows are some quotes thatappeared in that memorableedition.

“Freedom itself was attackedthis morning by a faceless cow-ard and freedom will bedefended.”

President George W. Bush

“This is the most grievousand cowardly act ever sub-jected on the United States.”

U.S. Rep. Mike RogersR-BRIGHTON

“We’re Americans. We arenot going to be intimidated.But we are going to be cautious.”

Gov. John Engler

“America’s been attacked.Those who attacked us willpay a price.”

U.S. Sen. Richard DurbinD-ILL.

“Parents needs to reassuretheir children everywhere inour country that they’re safe.”

First lady Laura Bush

“I do know that this countrywill not roll over and playdead. But unfortunately it will probably cause more violence.”

Doug RossWHITMORE LAKE

“It’s an historical moment.Every young person is goingto remember where they werewhen this happened.”

Dan GarberCHIEF ASSISTANT LIVINGSTON COUNTY

PROSECUTOR

“All Americans — Chris-

tians, Muslims and Jews —condemn this vicious act ofcowardice.”

U.S. Rep. David BoniorD-MOUNT CLEMENS

“America must lead the civ-ilized world in a relentlesscampaign to root out anddefeat terrorists and terroriststates.”

U.S. Sen. Carl LevinD-DETROIT

“We have no reason tobelieve any building in Mich-igan is a target.”

Col. Mike RobinsonMICHIGAN STATE POLICE DIRECTOR

“Life in America has been

changed forever. I am horri-fied by the magnitude andbrutality of the hijackings andsubsequent terrorist attacksin New York City and at thePentagon.”

Detroit Roman CatholicArchbishop Adam Maida

“We have been attacked likewe haven’t since Pearl Harbor.”

Adm. Robert J. NatterCOMMANDER, U.S. ATLANTIC FLEET

“Pray that the tragedy of to-day be not forgotten tomorrow.”

Sign in front of a LivingstonCounty business

“I feel like going to waragain. No mercy.”

Felix NovelliWORLD WAR II VETERAN, NEW YORK CITY

“It is premature to levelallegations against a personwho is not in a position tocarry out such attacks. It wasa well-organized plan andOsama (bin Laden) has no

such facilities.”

Abdul Salam ZaeefTALIBAN AMBASSADOR IN PAKISTAN

“The number of casualtieswill be more than most of uscan bear.”

New York Mayor RudolphGiuliani

“We’re scared like every-body else. People have fami-lies out there. One of ourparishioners has a son whoworks in New York. These arehuman responses.”

The Rev. William ThomasHOLY SPIRIT ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH,

GREEN OAK TOWNSHIP

“I can’t believe what hap-pened to so many innocentpeople. I’ll always rememberthis day.”

Marisol CastilloPASSENGER AT DETROIT METROPOLITAN

AIRPORT

“A this time of great nation-al tragedy, I call for our nation

to pause and take a moment topray for victims of this morn-ing’s tragedies, to pray for ourfamilies and to pray for ourcountry.”

U.S. Rep. Pete HoekstraR-HOLLAND

“She called from the planewhile it was being hijacked. Iwish it wasn’t so but it is.”

Solicitor General Theodore OlsonHIS WIFE WAS ABOARD A PLANE FORCED

TO CRASH INTO THE PENTAGON

“First, we need to ensureAmerica is safe. We need to ensure those people who are injured are rescued andsafe, and finally, we need tobring those responsible to justice.”

U.S. Rep. Mike RogersR-BRIGHTON

“We will make no distinctionbetween the terrorists whocommitted these acts andthose who harbor them.”

President George W. Bush

8A DAILY PRESS & ARGUS-Sunday, September 11, 2011

Opinion

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LETTERS

Rich PerlbergGENERAL

MANAGER/EXECUTIVE

EDITOR

Mike MalottMETRO EDITOR

Quotes echo decade after memorable day

When her dad made a sur-prise visit to her first-gradeclassroom, 6-year-old Isabel-la Horvath showed him herlocker.

That made sense. He hadnever seen it before. He cer-tainly didn’t get to see it onthe first day of school.

That’s because he was inAfghanistan, where he wasstationed most of the timesince leaving home inJanuary for a short trainingstint in Wisconsin.

Tim Horvath, an OceolaTownship resident who is afirst sergeant for the 127thCivil Engineering Squadron of the AirNational Guard, is a good guy to thinkabout amid the endless stories com-memorating the 10th anniversary ofthe 9/11 attacks.

Shortly after jets piloted by mur-derous terrorists crashed into theWorld Trade Center, the Pentagon anda field in Pennsylvania, there was acommon theme: The world haschanged for all of us.

Somewhat true. A sense of fear,sometimes dulled, sometimes height-ened. As I write this, officials are talk-ing about “specific, credible” reportsof possible al-Qaida attacks aimedperhaps at New York or Washington.

What can you do? You wait. Youhope.

If you fly, your life has changed.Lines are longer. You take off yourshoes. You are scanned by X-raymachines. You are patted down.

For most of us, though, life hasn’tbeen a whole lot different.

Unlike Horvath, we didn’t miss ourdaughter’s first day of school becausewe were building an airstrip in north-ern Afghanistan. Or constructingtemporary living quarters for sol-diers in western Afghanistan.

Weren’t those pretty dangerousplaces, he was asked? Not so bad, hesaid. Not like the south and the eastnear the Pakistan border. That’s real-

ly dicey, he said. The folkswhere he was stationed,he said, seem to realizethat the Americans werepromising a lot betteroption than the Taliban.

So when was the lasttime you could compare,from firsthand experi-ence, the relative safetyof northern versus south-ern Afghanistan?

We ran a front-pagestory Friday aboutHorvath’s surprise home-coming at Isabella’s class-room at Hutchings Ele-mentary School in Oceola

Township. You’d have to be pretty cold-hearted not to be moved by the photo ofa beaming Horvath, arms full of histwo beautiful daughters, Isabella andGabby, 3.

How many school events, birthdaysand other special moments do thesemen and women miss because they areserving their country? Protecting us.

Their families serve, too. They misstheir dads and moms. Spouses likeTracy Horvath run a households bythemselves while worrying about aloved one half a world away. Forthem, news broadcasts about battlesand casualties are more than back-ground noise.

“Families serve right along with thesoldier,” said John Ellsworth, in astory we published last week. “Theymake the sacrifice in dealing with aloved one being gone for years at atime and sometimes they don’t comeback, or they come back injured.”

He would know. He’s chairman ofMilitary Families United. He’s also aGold Star father because his son,Lance Cpl. Justin Ellsworth, waskilled Nov. 13, 2004, in Fallujah, Iraq.

He was to speak Saturday at theMichigan Army National Guard Ar-mory in Howell during an event whereGold Star families were invited to dis-play items of their loved ones in cele-bration of their courage and sacrifice.

Wendy Day, a former school boardmember in Howell, knows about thesacrifice. She’s raised a family whileher husband, Kevin, has served in thearmed forces for 18 years. He recent-ly returned home from a tour of dutyin Iraq and expects to be stateside forone or two years.

“I talk to families all the time, andtheir biggest fear is that the sacrificemade by these soldiers will be forgot-ten,” said Wendy Day in a story wewrote about Saturday’s event.

If we are honest, most of us willhave to admit we are guilty of justthat. It takes special events to put thethought top of mind. It takes a specialservice, like the one this morning inBrighton about the 10th anniversaryof 9/11. Or a solemn Memorial Dayparade.

Veterans Day is also importantalthough it’s harder to remembersince it’s not a day off for most people.

We shouldn’t forget. We need tothank these people — and their fami-lies — every day.

“In order to fully enjoy the free-doms we have in this country, peopleneed to know what those freedomscost,” said John Ellsworth, who willlive the rest of his days rememberingthat the cost for our freedom was hisson’s life.

The Horvath family also made asacrifice, but they were all smilesFriday. Tim Horvath is back home.After a well-deserved month’s leave,he’ll go back to his civilian life. He’s apolice officer in Westland. Must besomething in his blood about publicservice.

He also got to see his daughter’slocker.

But Isabella and Gabby got some-thing far more important.

They got their daddy back.

Rich Perlberg is general manager and

executive editor of the Livingston County

Daily Press & Argus. You can reach him

at (517) 552-2810 or at rperlberg@gan-

nett.com.

Be grateful for America’s military familiesBill will protectMich. consumers

Consumers should take amoment to thank state Sen.Joe Hune for introducing abill, SB 306, which will pro-tect them from beingripped-off when they havetheir vehicle windowsrepaired or replaced. Weshould all encourage everystate senator to also sup-port this bill.

When consumers callabout a glass problem.insurance companies oftenrefer them to third-partyadministrators (TPAs), whothen guide them to a repairfacility. The problem is theTPAs send them to a repairfacility they are affiliatedwith. In other words, thereis a very high probability ofself-dealing and consumersend up being hurt as well assmall shops such as mine.

Senator Hune’s bill willset up a code of conductthat requires TPAs to befair when they refer con-sumers to companies forrepair work. It allows forconsumer choice and trans-parency in the process.Small and large shops willbe able to compete on alevel playing field. This will

be good for consumers andfor the businesses doingthe work.

We need this bill. If itdoesn’t pass, jobs will belost, businesses will close,and consumers will beforced to use only one com-pany. Please act before it istoo late.

Dave ZoldowskiOWNER, AUTO ONE

BRIGHTON

It’s time to stopnagging teachers

In reference to the arti-cle from Aug. 30 (“Brigh-ton teachers OK pay cuts”),so the Brighton district willsave $7 million. That’sgreat. What is more im-pressive is that the Brigh-ton teachers acquiesced tothese concessions.

To the general public, I’dlike to say, “get off theteachers’ backs now.” Theyhave proven their mettleby this concession. And, bythe way, if you can read thisletter, it’s because a teachertaught you how to read.Think about that one.

Marcia TylerBRIGHTON

Rich PerlbergEXECUTIVE EDITOR ANDGENERAL MANAGER