(Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
In his keynote address, US Army Col. Dante Orlando Brown mentioned the two men from Red Bank killed in the attacks, Brendan A. Lange and Mark Hemschoot, as examples of the selflessness many of us recall so vividly from that day.
“As I was preparing my speech today, I met Mr. Michael Lang, the uncle of Mr. Brendan A. Lang,” Brown said. “And he shared with me some things about Brendan A. Lang. Brendan A. Lang wasn’t in the Towers at first. He was down the street at work.”
“But he had some employees who were in the towers,” Brown continued. “He went to go see about them to make sure they were okay. And he ended up paying the ultimate sacrifice. Looking out for other people, he ended up paying the ultimate sacrifice. That’s a testament to his upbringing. That’s a testament to his spirit. That’s a man who answered the call to duty.”
“Also, I learned some things about volunteer firefighter Mark Hemshoot,” he continued. “He perished that day, as he responded to the call to duty to help other people. That’s touching right there. There was something in them that said, I need to step outside of myself, my own feelings. There are other people who need my assistance. I’m gonna lend a hand as much as I can. And I encourage everyone here, if duty calls, please respond. You never know whom you’ll impact, how much you’ll help, and how much people will appreciate it.”
US Army Col. Dante Orlando Brown delivers the keynote address at the September 11 ceremony.
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331.
