Health & Fitness
We Remember and We Honor
Friends and neighbors from the community gathered for a prayer breakfast to honor and remember lives lost on Sept. 11th and to honor and remember one of our own, Dr. William E. Hale.
About six years ago the at 1625 North Belcher Road hosted a Community Prayer Breakfast.
The event brought people from many backgrounds together to meet, eat and pray together as a community. It was the creation of a man who did a lot of good things for our area, Dr. William E. Hale and this blog would explode if all of his contributions and efforts were listed.
He passed away earlier this year but his name will be around for a long time to remind us that there is still much to do. He left some very big shoes to fill.
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It was fitting that this annual event was officially named the "William E. Hale Memorial Community Prayer Breakfast." It was also fitting that this event was themed "Remember & Honor."
It was fitting because most of us are looking back and remembering the horrific events that unfolded on Sept. 11, 2001. The speakers at today's breakfast included people who were in the area of the attacks in New York City and Washington, DC.
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Salvation Army Commissioner, John Busby spoke about how he had just passed the Pentagon on his way to hold a joint press conference at the Rayburn House Office Building as the first plane struck the World Trade Center's . As the attack continued and the situation became clearer his day, like that for many, changed.
The Salvation Army responded quickly at the Pentagon and the Twin Towers with food, clothing, blankets and comfort. This was a huge and considerable undertaking but working together with the American Red Cross and the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief over 7,000 rescue, then search and recovery members were fed three times per day. WOW!
The main speaker for the prayer breakfast was Daniel Rodriguez, better known as the "singing policeman." He spoke about Sept. 11th as he drove across the Verrazano Bridge on his way to work in his personal car then ended up caravanning with first responder units on the way to the Twin Towers.
He was confronted with a choice to make, turn with the caravan or check-in to let others know where he was. Instincts from academy training kicked in and he opted to let others know where he was. Those instincts saved his life.
Other things happened that day that left a life changing impact on him. From being in a trailer and thinking these are the faces I am going to die with to saying goodbye to co-workers and colleagues but not knowing that was your goodbye conversation. His life changed from and because of Sept. 11. When he speaks he is often asked to re-tell the events of that day. What he tells is that Sept. 11 was a terrible day but then it was followed by Sept 12. That day he says was filled with hope, kindness, understanding and love for our neighbors and community. He is working on a way to connect and bring back the magic of Sept. 12. You can find out more about this project at Find 9/12.
What a great way to start a morning. Too bad every morning can't start this way, fellowship with neighbors from the community, inspirational talk, prayer, and then going on about the business of living. Thank you Dr. Hale. Thank you Salvation Army, and thank you friends and neighbors in the community let's meet again.
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