Fallen Soldier's Mom: 'Glad Osama Is Dead'

Nothing will comfort Dawn Roberts. Not even Osama bin Laden's death.

Her son, Army Sgt. Michael D. Kirspel Jr., in October. And though President Barack Obama told the nation Sunday night U.S. forces killed bin Laden and were in possession of his body, it wasn't enough to soothe Roberts.

"This is why I was up all night," she said Monday morning. "I hope this doesn't sound wrong, but my true feeling is that I'm very glad Osama is dead."

"Though I'm glad we finally got him," she continued, "it doesn't lessen my grief at all."

Bin Laden was leader of al Qaeda, the terrorist network behind the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which killed approximately 3,000 people.

Kirspel, 23, was killed when insurgents attacked his unit near the village of Khwaja Kinti using an improvised explosive device. He was in his third tour in the Middle East and had joined the army in 2006, right after graduating from Hopatcong High School.

Friends described Kirspel as fun-loving and good-natured. Hopatcong resident Justine Templin knew Krispel for at least five years, she said. Templin said Monday morning that bin Laden's death would have made Krispel smile.

"He would have felt like he got the job done," said Templin, who said she heard the news Monday morning but didn't believe it until hearing Obama speak on the radio. "He would have felt like this was what he joined the army for."

Templin said Kirspel "was just a free spirit. He was laid back and loved his country." In October, Hopatcong resident Erin Knapp said Kirspel "was an amazing guy who always had a smile on his face and a joke waiting to be made."

"He truly loved being a soldier," she said. "All I can say is our country was lucky to have him as a solider and I was lucky to have him as a friend."

Knapp said Monday bin Laden's death wouldn't heal her wounds.

"The death of Osama bin laden dosen't bring closure nor does it bring back my friend," she wrote in an email. "The death of Osama just means that no more families will be destroyed by his hands, however, he is just one of many....a small price to pay for innocent lives that have been taken."

The borough plans to on May 28 with a service at 10:30 a.m. at Veterans Field, Mayor Sylvia Petillo said.

On Monday morning, Petillo said she would never forget visiting ground zero two days after the attacks that toppled the Twin Towers, destroyed a portion of the Pentagon and caused passengers to crash a hijacked airplane in Pennsylvania.

"It's 10 years later, and each one of us can still remembers where we ere on that day," Petillo said. "Although our hearts still ache from the scars of this tragedy, as we reflect on the past events, we realize that the greatness of America was not diminished by this attack. It was empowered. Bin Laden designed this attack to bring our nation to its knees. but instead, it pulled our nation together. Our enemies destroyed our steel structures, but the couldn't cripple the american spirit. Out of twisted iron, white ash and despicable acts of hatred, came love and compassion. In deed, america learned a lot about heros on 9/11. And today I am proud of our country, our soldiers and I am glad justice has finally been served."

Hopatcong resident Bob Gadomski agreed. He woke up at 5:30 a.m. to hang a large American flag on his house. Except it wasn't just any American flag. It once flew above the Capitol Building.

Gadomski said the received the flag from his father, Anthony, who was Wallington's historian. Bob Gadomski said his father got it from Senator Robert Torricelli.

"It's like a little showcase as you're coming up the street," he said. "You can't miss it."

Sal Guglielmello of Hopatcong said he was glad to hear bin Laden had been killed. But he was even happier to see on the news the displays of unity that seemed to sweep across the nation.

"What's great is that people are getting together in different places, like New York and Washington, and singing the national anthem as a sign of patriotism," said Guglielmello, who had a miniature American flag in the back seat of his Cadillac.

He said it was a shame bin Laden was buried at sea.

"I bet the sharks won't even eat him," Gugliemello said.