Another story of hope

After performing Five Bells for 9/11 a woman came up to me and said, "I have another story of hope for you." Her husband, Mark Ruppert, was a firefighter for the FDNY. He was in the lobby of the Marriott Building getting ready to head into the North Tower when they noticed people outside running and looking up. They heard and felt a great rumble and saw the reflection in another building of the South Tower collapsing. Everyone ran straight away, but he felt he should run to the side. He ran into a bar ("I'd never been in a bar before," he laughed). As the tower collapsed they felt the wind so powerfully it blew up their pants' legs. All the rubble of the South Tower cascaded into the lobby and most perished, but Mark and those around him were spared. He said that when Lon (one of the characters in the play) said she was in a bubble that made sense to him. He made a motion like God's hand of protection was being placed over them. His family knew by 2pm that he was safe. Praise you Lord for the 70,000 people you spared that day!

In the picture are (left to right) Valerie and Charlie Schmid, Ann Van Hine, Lisa and Mark Ruppert. Charlie was the lieutenant and good friend of Bruce Van Hine, one of the characters in the play. Ann Van Hine is his widow. Lisa told Ann that they prayed for her though they didn't know her. They pray for all the families that lost someone that day.

My friend Dominic Crincoli wrote a song for the play called "I Will Respond" on his album New Dream. You can also download the single on iTunes. Click the button below to launch it.