To Watertown Police, Fire and Rescue, and All First Responders

I come from a family of First Responders - my brother is a retired firefighter and my dad was a police officer.  I know well that their families were worried about them as they worked so hard last week.  There were many concerned husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, neighbors and friends.   So many agencies were able to come together, Watertown's police, fire and rescue, law enforement from neighboring towns and states, Massachusetts state and regional first responders, the FBI, ATF, National Guard and so many other agencies.  You and your families were never far from my thoughts and prayers in the events of last week.

For those first responders who worked tireless hours under the most stressful conditions, I want to say Thank You. Knowing full well that there were very dangerous people had killed and maimed innocent people enjoying a sporting event, who in the early hours of Friday morning had shot and killed a police officer in cold blood, who had kidnapped another man and who were so easily casting IED's and using assault rifles against pursuing police and were able to gravely injure another peace officer, you did your job.  You ran toward danger and protected innocent lives.

I know as a family member of a first responder you have tough days and rewarding days, there are days when you are challenged beyond all expectation and days when somehow, even in the darkest hour, you are able to get the job done.  Here in Watertown, that was all on one day - Friday, April 19. With the lens of the world upon us, our little Watertown was Ground Zero. 

In the Land of the Free, all can now know that the Home of the Brave is Watertown.