NEWS

Montville students learn life lessons from survivors

William Westhoven
@WWesthoven

MONTVILLE – Math, science and social studies took the day off Thursday at Robert L. Lazar Middle School in favor of the biennial Living Lessons program that puts an impressive list of survivors in front of students to share their experience.

Launched in 2005, the Living Lessons program brings in people from all walks of life with moving stories of how they overcame adversity to achieve personal goals and, in many cases, make the world a better place.

The speakers ranged from survivors of the Holocaust and genocide in Rwanda to 9/11 first responders and even a former "skinhead" who spoke about "My Life After Hate."

"I feel good about it," said World War II veteran Harry Ettlinger of his encore appearance at Life Lessons. Ettlinger's story also has been seen on the cinema screen in the recent film "The Monuments Men."

Another returnee, retired New York City fire fighter Joe Torillo, has appeared at every Life Lessons event to share his 9/11 ordeal. One of the first responders to the South Tower of the World Trade Center, he was buried and severely injured when the tower collapsed. After they dug him out and got him to an evacuation boat, the boat was hit by debris from the North Tower collapse.

Torillo said at the time, he had been working with the Office of Fire Safety Education, which eventually led to him being a department consultant in the creation of a Fisher-Price fire fighter action figure named Billy Blazes.

Ironically, in Torillo's reflection, Fisher-Price was planning to introduce Billy Blazes to the public that same morning. He was on the way to the introductory press conference when the planes hit the towers, prompting him to turn around and head directly into Ground Zero.

"By the time the sun went down that night, 344 firemen were declared dead," he said. "Three days later, one was found alive in another state. That was me at Jersey City Medical Center. Billy Blazes has come to represent the other 343 fire fighters who made the supreme sacrifice."

His message to the students: "I tell people every day, Superman is not real, Batman and Robin are not real. Spider Man is not real. The only children's rescue hero who ever came alive was Billy Blazes. He was born on that day."

"The first year we had 30 speakers," said program co-founder and coordinator (with fellow teacher Derek Lynn) Judy Gothelf. "This year we are up to 52 speakers."

They plan to continue the program as long as it continues to make the powerful impression it has on the students every other year. Speakers are chosen in advance based on grades and other factors, and the children see six presentations before they end the day by writing a letter to the presenter of their choice.

"The things they say are just the most incredible things," Gothelf said of the letters. "'You changed my life.' 'The little problems I have are really not major problems.' 'I now know not to taunt and tease anyone, because I've been a bully, and I've learned not to do that because someone is different than me.' "

The program benefits the speakers as well. Eugenie Mukeshimana, a survivor of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda now living in Newark, was back on Thursday for a third appearance, and enjoyed lunch with some of the other speakers she has met over the years.

"It's like a family reunion," she said.

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-428-6627; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.