rick mikula, butterfly expert

MY HEROES

The following article appeared in The Hazleton 'Standard Speaker' on September 25, 2001.

EDITOR' NOTE - Harley Gliem, who turns 8 today, of Hazleton and his mother, Lynn, collected donations that they used to purchase food for rescue dogs helping police and firefighters in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. The fundraiser helped unite Lynn's co-workers at Hazleton General Hospital who ended a strike on Sept. 10 but nevertheless provided money for the dog food and medical supplies. At 5:30 a.m. on Sept. 15, the Gliems left Hazleton to deliver the supplies to a fire station in New York City. They also placed a flag at the Imagine Disc, a memorial to John Lennon in Central Park, before returning home after 10 p.m. Lynn's father, Rick Mikula of Hazleton, the author and co-author of eight books about butterflies, accompanied them to New York and wrote the following description of the trip.

When I made that last turn on the New Jersey Turnpike heading to the Holland Tunnel and we first saw the rising smoke from our smoldering future billowing against a perfect sky my heart actually stopped for a minute. I saw Harley and Lynn's mouths fall open, and the only sound in the car was the trickling of tears against our cheeks. We were speechless for miles.

Even as we looked back and forth from that heart wrenching scene to each other for reassurance that it was actually real and not just the TV screen, words became useless. It was futile trying to describe the indescribable. Once we touched foot on the Isle of Manhattan, we had a glimpse into what the world should be like. Not the physical place of destruction but a community of the warmest, friendliest people I have ever had the privilege to encounter.

We delivered everything Saturday morning at Fire House 18. The Fire chief told (Harley) that he was a real hero for all he did. Harley wouldn't even let me help him unload the car. He had to do it. We then released a few butterflies at the makeshift memorial that was set up outside the firehouse because they lost eight wonderful people to the WTC. It was one of the most profound days that I was ever privileged to live. The sights, the sounds, the atmosphere, the warmth of the people are still indescribable. I make my living as a professional speaker and I still can not explain how that day has changed my life, and it certainly was for the better.

Everywhere we went people could not have been kinder, nicer or more polite than that day. We stopped in a tavern for lunch and when the management found out Harley drove 2½ hours to make sure the dogs were OK, all our food and drinks were free. In stores and on the streets people actually without knowing us gave us presents. Drivers were never so polite anywhere. And Harley took some great pictures.

That day I got to see people at their finest - so many people going out of their way. You could have picked up the kindness and thoughtfulness with a shovel. If you didn't you would have tripped over it. Even on the subway, people actually stepped back smiling and said "No You First."

No it wasn't a typical day in New York City, but it was a perfect day, a day where people actually acted like people, and a day when they respected everyone and couldn't express it more. Our efforts were well appreciated, as were those of everyone else. At every corner and red light we saw cars filled: helpers from California, firemen from Minnesota, EMTs from Ohio. But that day they weren't Californians or Minnesotans or even Pennsylvanians. They were wonderful people who just wanted to do whatever they could to help others.

One of the things we did was to go to the "Imagine Disc'' at Strawberry Fields in Central Park to light candles and wish for peace. Since there wasn't any flag there, we placed a small one there. Sunday night during the "NBC Evening News,'' before a fade to a commercial, showed the Imagine Disc for a few seconds then zeroed in on our flag still standing proud. So you can see that I am pretty proud of my two heroes.

(click images for larger view)


These police car photos show the debris that covered most of lower Manhattan. It was a combination of asbestos, shards of glass, steel and paper work. It made the city look like a nuclear winter. Standing near the WTC one could taste the sour sharpness in the air after only a short time.

This is a floral tribute to the 8 wonderful people that did not think of their own lives but rather how they could save the lives others. They were the first responders to the WTC and unfortunately paid the ultimate price for their heroics. We were privileged to have a small butterfly
release in their honor.

Throughout the area groups of nameless heroes traveled back and forth to the site. As one group was leaving two more were there to take their place. The influx of help from around the country was more than just touching. We could never have been prouder to be an American.

After making sure that the rescue dogs had plenty of food and water and that the firemen got their medical supplies, my hero rides off into the sunset to help someone else in need. He is just that kind of person. He will give anyone anything even if it is his last.

This picture that Harley took shows a lot of national and civic pride emanating from the backbone of New York. In it you can see its shady, maybe not so perfect past, but after this national disaster, the flag proudly looks forward to a brighter future.

The acting chief of Fire Station 18 helps Harley to unload supplies. The gentleman went far out of his way to make the little guy feel like a real hero when deep inside he was still hurting from loosing eight of his fellow firefighters just 2 days prior. Harley felt uncomfortable making him work and eventually unloaded the car alone.

This is the floral display at the Imagine Disc in the Strawberry Fields section of Central Park. It was created as a tribute to John Lennon and his wish for world peace. Isn't is sad that we need to go to a special place and try to imagine world peace would be like.

Harley and his Mom Lynn sit among the supplies that we delivered to the Fire House. Lynn works at Hazleton General Hospital and was able to have them donate the medical supplies. The dog food was purchased with donations from her fellow workers. Just returning from a 5 week strike on September 10, they still reached into their already financially strapped pockets to help Harley take care of the rescue dogs.

In the background you can still see the outline of a standing building through the distant rising smoke from Ground Zero.

Fire Station 18 not only lost family and friends in the disaster but they lost their truck also. This is a picture of a borrowed truck marked with tape. These wonderful people did not sit back and give up. They continued on despite it all. I was able to watch as the original truck was pulled from the wreckage.

MY HEROES

These police car photos show the debris that covered most of lower Manhattan. It was a combination of asbestos, shards of glass, steel and paper work. It made the city look like a nuclear winter. Standing near the WTC one could taste the sour sharpness in the air after only a short time.

Throughout the area groups of nameless heroes traveled back and forth to the site. As one group was leaving two more were there to take their place. The influx of help from around the country was more than just touching. We could never have been prouder to be an American.

After making sure that the rescue dogs had plenty of food and water and that the firemen got their medical supplies, my hero rides off into the sunset to help someone else in need. He is just that kind of person. He will give anyone anything even if it is his last.

This picture that Harley took shows a lot of national and civic pride emanating from the backbone of New York. In it you can see its shady, maybe not so perfect past, but after this national disaster, the flag proudly looks forward to a brighter future.

This is the floral display at the Imagine Disc in the Strawberry Fields section of Central Park. It was created as a tribute to John Lennon and his wish for world peace. Isn't is sad that we need to go to a special place and try to imagine world peace would be like.

In the background you can still see the outline of a standing building through the distant rising smoke from Ground Zero.

Copyright © 2001 Rick Mikula, all rights reserved.

These police car photos show the debris that covered most of lower
Manhattan. It was a combination of asbestos, shards of glass, steel and paper work. It made the city look like a nuclear winter. Standing near the WTC one could taste the sour sharpness in the air after only a short time.