Boston Strong and a Salute from Mothers Everywhere

Last summer, a single American Flag was placed in a memory box after it was flown over the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C., at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, at operations offices in Newark, Ventnor and Red Bank and 104 floors up at the top of our new One World Trade Center in Manhattan. It was handed to one of my very best friends as he retired from the FBI.

(Because of the type of work he did, his name is not being used to protect him and his family.)

One hundred thirty of us who love and respect this man made our way to the Molly Pitcher Inn in Red Bank to honor him and his life's work because his high profile intelligence gathering and investigative genius on cases that spanned the globe saved countless lives, thwarted planned attacks directed at innocent citizens inside tunnels, bridges and across the land, brought criminals and international terrorists to justice, and allowed him to mentor countless colleagues throughout their careers.

It was an afternoon like no other. We started the day to the roar of foot-stomping laughter as the Master of Ceremonies held up a giant Wanted Poster with my face on it! It was a gag I actually deserved as a form of payback which I'll have to explain on another day.  But yes - I was punked!

Then as an invited guest and speaker, I had the privilege to say "thank you," not only to my friend, but to a room full of remarkable heroes who get up every day to protect the health, welfare and safety of citizens everywhere. 

For ten minutes, I spoke with a greatful heart and served as the face of moms and parents everywhere who make it home to their families every day, thanks to the commitment and expertise of those who choose a vocation rooted in the tenets that put the security of our nation and our citizens above all things. 

The flag presented to him, in the traditional triangular fold, was placed under glass after it was raised by bands of brothers and sisters in law enforcement during special ceremonies at every field office my friend had ever worked at. 

The gesture was so moving and fitting that my heart still races every time I write about it.

As the third fold of the flag was made at each individual site, every ceremonial team stopped for a moment to honor and remember the successes of my friend as he prepared to retire from the FBI ranks. 

They all acknowledged that he "had dedicated a significant portion of his life for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world."  I suppose the end of a career does not get better than this.

Every speaker rose with emotion to share poignant stories from the silent and dangerous trenches of their lives to explain how they were inspired by him, his values, work ethic, knowledge-sharing, as well as how his intense personal interest in their success motivated all of them.

His approach to team work and collaboration made him a great leader who lived with the kind of courage that created access to the data needed to assess and solve some of the most daunting and challenging FBI cases of our time. 

There was reverence in the room when each speaker spoke of his "commitment to excellence." 

The standing ovation that rocked Red Bank was loud enough to remind all of us that my friend had made a difference on behalf of our country and its citizens for over 26 years.   

His accomplishments are astonishing by every standard. For starters this ever so humble University of Pennsylvania Wharton Graduate managed and helped solve the February 1993 World Trade Center Bombing Case, (see my earlier blog post on The Patch if you want to understand what the '93 Bombing did to those of us paying attention as we worked and lived in the Hudson River corridor where this attack was planned and executed).

He never talked about his work or assignments - nor are these career professionals supposed to - so I literally fell off my couch watching a 1993 WTC Bombing Documentary on the History Channel 12 years ago. Oh my gosh.

There he was - my friend whose wedding ceremony I participated in - profiled as an American Hero who had managed the '93 investigation and none of us in his inner-circle had had the slightest clue. It was an unbelievable moment.

At his retirement celebration, his peers explained how he and his FBI team risked their lives to track wanted terrorists - including Ramzi Yousef - across oceans to bring them back to the U.S. so they could be charged and convicted for their individual contributions to the horrific '93 terrorist act that left six fellow citizens dead and 1,042 injured in the rubble beneath the 10-story gaping hole they intentionally created with explosives inside the World Trade Center.

At this event, he was also honored for leveraging his skills and subject matter expertise to help solve the Oklahoma Bombing case of April 1995, which killed 168 innocent people, including 19 children - all under the age of 6. 

Half of that building collapsed seconds after a 5,000 pound truck bomb detonated. 

Who could believe that I'd be invited to this event after I had quietly kept Charles Poster's iconic Pulitzer Prize winning photo in my wallet since 1995?. It was THE picture of Oklahoma Fire Chief Chris Fields carrying America's baby - Baylee Almon - away from the ruins of the Murrah Building.

I kept this picture in my wallet to remind myself that forgetting Baylee's death was not an option especially after what happened at the WTC in 1993. 

I was raised to understand that if you ignore history, it has a terrible tendency to repeat itself.  That's why I choose to remember that 'our' Baylee would have turned 19 years old (the same age as my son) on April 18th, 2013 and that's why I could not take my tear-filled eyes off the podium as pride for my friend soared last summer.

I couldn't believe how hard someone I personally knew and loved had worked to secure the justice little Baylee and the other 168 murdered fellow citizens deserved. I am so honored to know him.

More trinkets, humorous moments and awards arrived at this event inside the Molly Pitcher Inn. The crowd stood silent and then burst into applause as they saluted his tireless work which helped piece together key elements for the 9/11 investigation. Suddenly I was back on that commuter ferry - part of the 9/11 Boatlift that took me and 500,000 others home to our families.

The afternoon was both exhilarating and emotionally draining all at once.

It felt as if some of the terrible chapters over the past two decades had come full circle: the attacks in 1993, on 9/11, and in the summer of 2007 when bombs exploded across London - one of them in Trafalgar Square which was up the street from the Royal Horseguards Hotel where my husband and I were vacationing. 

Despite another incredible city being locked-down, leaving thousands of us racing for the light of day as the public transit system was shut down, we made it home to New Jersey.        

I've always admitted these events certainly shattered my sense of security.  After all I have two children. What kind of world would my generation leave for them? 

What I witnessed in this room helped me make the choice never to be afraid again. Never - not ever.

The only option left was to stand speechless in this gorgeous banquet hall overlooking the Navesink River as some of the finest and most courageous public servants of our time stood all around me. 

Their unyielding commitment to protecting our nation and the caliber of the people in this room gave me a renewed sense of hope for the generation that will follow us. 

It was an important reminder that there is always someone waking up ready and willing every day to serve and protect our nation so we can all go about our daily business and live in freedom. 

Last week the city of Boston summoned its own iron will and resolve to shout out the same exact messages! 

During America's Marathon Interrupted, we watched a new generation of brave heroes emerge - everyday civilians joined law enforcement, National Guardsmen, medical professionals, emergency management technicians, firefighters, runners and volunteers as they ran like hell towards the smoke-filled blasts so others could live. Bravo Boston!

After terrorist cowards killed 8-year old Martin Richard, Krystal Campbell, Lingzhi Lu, and injured hundreds of others, and following the brutal and senseless murder of the honorable MIT Officer Sean Collier, the world stood still as many of us prayed at the same time extraordinary men and women in law enforcement created grids to methodically search neighborhoods. 

Make no mistake, their mission was to make absolutely sure additional 'faceless mothers' would not be left to bury their beautiful children in Boston this week.  The terrorists had stolen quite enough. Boston's bravery stopped them.  

On Boston's streets and at her hospitals heroism and resilience of the highest form came alive.  

Their incredible example to the world created "Boston Strong!"  Their collective efforts inspired a nation. 

Hello Boston!  This land is your land, this land is my land. Our flag belongs to you and me.

Symbolically an American Flag - just like the one that honored my friend as he retired from the FBI - salutes all of you today.     

God Bless Boston… God Bless America.