My Husband Didn't Leave for NYC Today

When you're in the situation I'm in--with a son who only wants to serve and risks his life to do it--you look at your husband. I'm sure he looks at me in the same way thinking: "I wonder if he inherited any of his traits from Leslie?" I look at my husband but I don't wonder. I know Peter had a big part in contributing to Michael's strength of character and calm reactions.

My husband's shoulder has always been available when I cried in fear that my son would get unlucky or do something too dangerous or if I was just scared out of my wits. I know he has been frightened, just as I have. I will tell a story that illustrates the effect my husband has had on our son.

We live about an hour's drive from the Penn State campus and sometimes we go there to poke around in a bookstore and get away from the cows and the country life in general. Once, Peter found a second-hand book called "Worst Case Scenarios." It was published for the armed forces; it was full of handy explanations about how to act under potentially dangerous circumstances. Peter gave the book to Michael, hoping it could be of use.

When Katrina/Rita hit the south, the animal life that lived peacefully there were jolted out of their habitats. There were alligators running around in the streets, angry and mixed up I imagine. Michael was there with the Red Cross and he was walking along with another volunteer, an electrician who had come down to help too. Suddenly, an alligator rushed out of nowhere and grabbed the electrician's leg with its powerful jaws. Michael went over to the alligator and kicked the animal square on its nose. The alligator let go of the poor guy's leg and rushed away. This man had some damage to his leg but nothing that would not heal. There were alligator teeth stuck into his leg, and the electrician saved one of the teeth, had it mounted and put on a chain, and gave it to Michael.

So we're sitting and listening to this story when Michael gets home and one of us said: How on earth did you know to kick the alligator on it's nose? And Michael says: Don't you remember, Dad? The book about Worst Case Scenarios? It was in that book, what to do if an alligator attacks. His only sensitive part is its nose." Then more head-shaking went on and I was frankly surprised that Michael would ever want to get involved in dangerous situations again. But that's just who he is. And if Peter hadn't given Michael that book...I don't even want to think about it. Thanks, Peter.