Chicago school age children and younger shot and school age children and younger homicides 2013

Dear Mayor...We know this is a part time gig for you here and it gets in the way with your full time job to: prep for the next presidential run, your fundraising, conducting polls to see if you would be a shoe in for VP with Hilory, your multi-million dollar portfolios etc. You're still a north shore suburban elitist douche bag midget and you will NEVER be a Chicagoan no matter how many ball games you attend or slices of deep dish pizzas you take photos in front of. Oh and one more thing. What's going on in our city is disgraceful. It's going to be a hot deadly summer this year.

Just a few totals for this time of the year..

 

School age children killed 19

Boy, 15, shot to death 4 blocks from Obama home

Baby dies days after father smothered her to stop her crying

Intoxicated driver killed baby in womb

Boy 14 who was body pulled from lagoon at Marquette Park was stabbed to death.

Boy, 14 shot dead, 13 year old girl wounded in Heart of Chicago

School age children shot 92

18 year old shot in Garfield Park

18 year old man shot in Grand Crossing

15 year old boy shot in Englewood

Boy, 15, shot to death 4 blocks from Obama home

18 year old man shot in Chicago Lawn

16 year old shot in Woodlawn

16 year old boy shot in Bronzeville

17-year-old boy shot in Lawndale

17-year-old boy shot in Englewood

17 year old boy shot in Brainard

Girl,16, critically wounded in Chatham shooting

Boy, 14 shot dead, 13 year old girl wounded in Heart of Chicago

Two boys, 17, wounded in South Side shooting

18 year old man shot in Austin

16 year old shot in Austin

17 year old man shot in Gage Park

2 men shot in South Chicago Update: 1 killed, 1 wounded 18

16-year-old boy shot in Lawndale

18 year old man shot in Austin

Who are the real news worthy people of Boston?

In the wake of last weeks Boston Marathon bombings, many took to social media to comment on the tragedy. One of the sentiments repeated again and again came from Mister Rogers.

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” To this day, especially in times of “disaster,” I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.

 

Who is Ryan?

He's a Boston Police officer whom I had the pleasure of meeting a few times and I saw him again on Monday morning of the race at the start. We spoke for a few minutes catching up on his career and family. So who is this guy?
He just finished going to law school at night, passed the bar and is applying that to his new role in the department. He has 3 children and a wife. And if that's not enough he woke up at dawn to help take us out to Hoppington to set up our race tents and then traveled back to the city to bring our gear bags back. He then waited  near the finish line all day to take us back to south Boston where our gear bags were. When the explosions happened he ran to the explosions to help out where he could and remained there the rest of the evening with my other friend Cecil. I don't know many people in this world who race into danger like that but to me these guys are hero's in my book. They and many other "helpers" helped protect and save a lot of people that day and their other efforts in finding the killers was never really told. I hope they make a movie about this day sometime because these guys should be in the script.

I thought you all should know who this person is and the many others on the Boston PD that day. Why? I think this is the type of person we should be seeing on the newscasts instead of the two animals who are responsible for the horror on April 15.   

RYAN IS IN THE BLACK CAP. He also lost his hearing in both ears

 

Melissa my American hero...

Lt. Melissa Stockwell (Ret)

So here it was last Monday evening in Lincoln Park and I just thought a few hundred runners might show up for the Boston Strong run and then I look up and there are over 1,500+ from all the running clubs and stores in Chicago. I saw many many friends who were out showing their support some even wearing the old school 90's Boston Marathon cotten race shirts.

At the last second I brought the flags I carried in the Boston 2013 race that I didn't get to finish due to the terror attack. I wasn't feeling really great on Monday to be honest with you, my body was sore and I was bit depressed by the whole attack and kinda of dragged myself out to run because someone said there would be pie. I'm glad I did.

Somewhere near mile 21 Boston Marathon

As I stood at the start line alone leaning on my flag pole my friend Melissa Stockwell walks up to me and gives me a giant hug. If you're unaware who Melissa is just Google her name and trust me you'll enjoy what you will read. This person never ceases to amaze me. The pain I was feeling in my legs and my Achilles went away just from her hug. Why? Mellisa has one leg (wounded in Iraq), she also just got back from racing in a half ironman in California 2 days before and she has a giant smile on her face. What problems do I have? None, nada, zilch.

Off we go leading the pack

Melissa and I at the finish

 

 

We both ran together to the finish line and I could see she was in pain from the new leg she was using and not to mention the blisters etc from the Ironman she incurred 2 days prior. No complaining, no bitching and moaning..just a smirk on her face that her "little leg" will get her to the finish line. There was no mention of what she was going to be doing that week at all after the race. Just a high five at the end of the evening and hug and we both left the park. Me to a bar with some teammates and her back home to Brian and Jake (her service dog).

Melissa and I near the end of the run

Fast forward to CNN and I'm watching the George W. Bush presidential library opening ceremony. Who steps up to the stage? Melissa was given the honor to lead the audience in the pledge of allegiance. Why wasn't I surprised? This is typical of a person who's modest of her accomplishments, her mentoring of others with disabilities, children etc. President Bush took her by the hand and introduced her to all the other living Presidents as his friend. Pretty amazing day for someone don't you think? It's because she's a pretty amazing person that's why.

Big O and W with Melissa