"How Ya Doin'?"

This week we commemorate the loss of 343 New York Firefighters in the World Trade Center Disaster on September 11th, 2001. While we may have not known any of these men personally, we have developed a sense of understanding as to the pain this tragedy created for their families and their fellow firefighters. After the loss of the Charleston 9 last year, many of New York's finest came to our aid in the form of peer counselors and eventual friends to help us deal with our own tragedy. Many of you now know guys like big Ralph Esposito, who rode into town on his Harley and became a good friend to us all. Others followed, John Hemsley, Art Tracy, Dag Dorph, John Bruckner, George Faller, Joe Curry, Dave Gettens, Charlie James, Bob Kilkenny, Gerry Moriarty, Bob Winkler and Joe Hines and last, but not least, our own Richie Denninger, who came here to stay and become one of us. Throughout our contacts with these men, they always ask the same thing, the well-known phrase right out of New York, "How Ya Doin'?" Even though it has been some time since their last visits, they always ask about all of you and remain truly concerned about your well-being. For that, we will be forever grateful and this week we especially have them in our thoughts and wish them well.

Honor the memory of the 343 New York Firefighters and the Charleston 9 by asking yourself, How am I doing? Think it over and let us know if we can help you.

Be safe, my Friends,

Gerald