||| FROM JOHN ERLY |||
When I visited the Orcas Island Fire Station across from the airport on September 11, I expected to see folks coming and going from the 9-11 Memorial. Small American flags lined the walk in front of the station.
Just inside the door is a piece of beam from the Twin Towers.
I hope some of the parents here on Orcas took their children to see it and explained how it changed the world we live in “forever.” Many of our young folks do not know how the Twin Towers changed our lives, or what the memorial stands for.
As a retired Marine and 12+ year volunteer Orcas firefighter, standing in front if it, brought tears in my eyes.
John, love to you and your family. Your generation is the greatest generation. This just isn’t the same country, in many ways, that you fought for and volunteered for and it is very unfortunate. People don’t care about the same things that were special back in the day. This is the me generation now, very rarely do we see sacrifices like you must’ve seen a lot of, when you were young. Wish I knew you back then. I’m the sucker that found your keys in the post office and hung them on your front door without asking for a reward or a favor. Just out of respect for your service and plain speaking style. Go John and Go America, hope you both stay resilient and strong forever. God bless America, the land of the free.