The next morning we needed to pull out from this park. We ran down to the local tiny store which has everything that a Yooper would need for a last minute dash for something forgotten at the larger grocery stores. Perhaps the thing I love most while traveling is the many times that we meet people and just begin a conversation about the weather and end up knowing so much more than that when we part.
On this particular morning that is what happened. We met a man from Ohio that we will call Pete because sometimes it is just too hard to remember names. But Pete shared that he had been trained in Ohio to be a first responder with his cadaver dog. He had trained in New York City with the fire department there. Because of this, he and his station and his dog were called on 911 to search the rubble after the twin towers came down. Having known many of the NYC firefighters that lost their lives, this was a hard story to share and Pete choked up and could not continue.
He told us that after the search he was not allowed to return home for two weeks as during this time he underwent intense counseling and debriefing. The men were told that they were being treated as though they had been in a war. Even his family was required to do counseling before Pete was released to return home. We are thankful that our heroes of the aftermath were given such care and consideration as well as their families.
Pete is now retired and living quietly in Deer Park in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. God Bless!
Speaking of Yooper last minute dashes…a picture is worth a thousand words.
Today is also Rhonda’s birthday. We sing her Happy Birthday and hand her a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies to keep her company on the ride to our next stop which will be Baraga State Park.