Elburn man's garden honors Sept. 11 victims, heroes
It wasn't a fancy ceremony, but it meant a lot to the firefighters who gathered at Paul Wdowicki's front yard on North Second Street in Elburn Friday morning.
Two pairs of Elburn and Countryside Fire Protection District firefighters raised U.S. flags bearing the date Sept. 11, 2001 and an outline of the New York City skyline on two poles, then lowered them to half-staff. The flags waved over the "Garden of Memory," which Wdowicki started landscaping when he moved to Elburn seven years ago. For the last four years, he has had a brief ceremony on the anniversary of the date of the terrorist attacks on the United States.
Wdowicki has a special place in his heart for firefighters, having been paid-on-call for the Glenview Rural Fire Protection District for 15 years when he lived in Des Plaines.
"It tore my heart up when I saw those guys go in those buildings (the World Trade Center towers)," suspecting they weren't going to make it out, he said.
With cicadas buzzing and birds chirping in the background, Wdowicki explained how the garden initially was in the shape of a Maltese cross, just like the traditional emblem of the fire service. The garden has a plaque with "The Firefighter's Prayer," as well as one dedicating it to those who lost their lives in the line of duty from that day in 2001.
"It doesn't seem like eight years ago today it hit," said Chaplain John Dumke, before leading the assemblage in prayer.
"These guys never served with you ... but we're grateful for you to do this for us," Dumke told Wdowicki, saying all firefighters are family.
"I think it is great he does it. It means a lot to the fire department and all of us," firefighter Lisa Schopp said.
"Help us to know in their death we are called on to continue their fight," prayed Dumke, the pastor of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in West Chicago.
"I don't want this day ever forgotten. It's too important," said Wdowicki.
"This was my thought from the time 9-11 happened. I wanted to do something to keep everybody aware."