In remembrance

A couple months ago I agreed to pay tribute to a fallen hero of 9/11 along with thousands of other blog writers.

My hero is Richard Bruce Van Hine age 48 from Greenwood Lake, New York. A 12-year veteran of the New York Fire Department, on duty at FDNY Squad 41 in the Bronx on Sept. 11 and one of the 343 firefighters who perished at the World Trade Center. According to his wife, Ann, everyone who knew him called him Bruce. Bruce and Ann were married in 1980 and had been married 21 years. They have 2 daughters Emily now 22 and Meghan now 19.

Bruce Van Hine was an avid outdoorsman who left Bibles on the Appalachian Trail, where he frequently hiked. He was a member of and served in the ministry of Warwick Valley Church of the Nazarene in Warwick, N.Y. He also taught at the Fire Department Training Academy at Randall's Island.

I am honored to be afforded the opportunity to pay tribute to this hero, because without him and so many other's I would not have the freedom or the luxuries I have today.

Today is a day to reflect and honor. Today is a day to put politics aside, opinions about the government aside, and anything else aside and come together to say "I'm Proud to be an American" and I'm Proud to Pay Tribute to an America hero Richard Bruce Van Hine.