A FINAL COMMENT

After all the mention of my class reunion, the why’s and where’s of the event to be, it occurred to me, that if this was an ordinary class from an ordinary school, I probably would not have bothered!

But contrary to that idea, I must say, nothing is ordinary. No, quite the contrary, there is an everlasting bond with my class, because of what we lived through. Someone had suggested that a whole decade of 60’s graduates should gather for a reunion, and now that I think of it, it isn’t as bad an idea as it sounds.

Friday, March 8, 1963 will live as the single most important date in my education! To borrow from FDR, it was indeed a “date which will live in infamy.” It unified every graduate who ever attended that old school building, constructed in the 1920’s and who witnessed its total destruction.

Every March 8th, I relive those horrific moments in my memory, memories that are permanently etched in my heart and soul, as I thank God no one died in that tragic fire. For that I am eternally grateful, I am grateful for the brave teachers and fellow students who gave their all to help rescue the trapped students. To all the fire departments, led by Bellport’s own that guaranteed the lives of those they saved, thank you. There was the fire chief of the Bellport Fire Department, a great guy who has since passed on. When I would speak to him about, you could see the fact that no one was going to die on his watch. When I went to his funeral mass, I felt that enough was not made of what he did on the day, saving all those futures. How important a save that was!

Our’s was an innocent time, up until that life changing day! It taught me the value of my school, my affiliations, my friends and family, my life. I can go on and tell you how it probably shaped us all, including our parents, but that is too big an undertaking for a mere mortal, it only overwhelms.

Thanks to all the firemen that are, stay alive and healthy, we need YOU.