Cream of the crop
This letter was submitted to be included in The Pilot Letters to the Editor section.
To All Who Helped,
This letter is being sent to the Editor simply because it is a trusted source in which I know it will be circulated.
My wish is that this letter and the article be posted in a very public place, for all to see.
My wife and I, and our three adult age kids, have just digested our Labour Days’ worth of TV anniversary shows of 9/11. Once again, we were left shaking our heads in disbelief at how such a tragedy could be caused by human hands.
When we sat down to read our Saturday edition of The Ottawa Citizen, and there on B4, read of the efforts of those in Newfoundland, there were tears shed – not of sadness, but of joy. True, this even is 10 years old. But emotions can run deep. We were all deeply affected in reading about just a few of the countless stories from that day.
Should we have been surprised? No. We have vacationed in Newfoundland, and have experienced first hand the friendship, openness, and hospitality Newfoundlanders are famous for. Hearing of just some of the unconditional kindness offered; the trust to complete strangers; the willingness to offer the hand of help – all without any hesitation or need for anything in return - … no, we weren’t surprised. While we shook our heads at the devastation on TV, now we looked at each other with tears of joy streaming down our faces.
We know that it was second nature to all of you. We know that God forbid, history repeats itself tomorrow, the same stories of kindness would happen all over again. This is who you are. ALL OF YOU!
You are all the “Cream of the Canadian crop!” Ten years later, and you have still set the bar very high for the rest of us to reach. I personally tip my hat to each and every one of you. Well done.
Bill de Jourdan
The de Jourdan family
Nepean, ON
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