A message from PEF Retirees President Steve Muscarella
Youretiredfromwork,notfromlife
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JackLimispresident interestingandfunformembers,butnot Letusalltakeheartinaleadersuch
ofPEFRetireesChapter9 time-consuming. asJackLim,whostruggledforninehours
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inthelowerHudson Inarecentlypublishednewsarticle, and52minutesthroughallfiveboroughs t
valley. Jackwascharacterizedasa“...ManWho ofNewYorktofinishtherace.
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Thechapter,whichis WenttheDistance.”Wecallhim“thePEF Hemayhavebeenoffthewinning
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splitintotwodistinct RetireesMarathonMan.”Bothare pace,butheaccomplishedwhatheset
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geographicareasbythe referencestohisparticipationinthe2008 outtodo.Thatmakeshimatruewinner.
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withmostmembersclusteredinfour Jacksuffersfromalungconditioncalled
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theavailablegovernmentandprivate Jackisnotaquitter.Weallcanlearn
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mallsorahealthseminaratalocal retiredfromwork,notfromlife.Westill NOQUITTER–PEFretireeJackLim
hospital.” haveavastrangeofopportunitiesfor finishesthe2008NYCMarathonin9
Hisobjectiveistomakethesethings usefulactivitybeforeus. hrs.,52mins.
Soldier:Poweroffamilyhelpshimbuildnewlife
BySHERRYHALBROOK explodingvehicle,breakinghisleg thedifference.
Thethemewas“family,”andtheevent andseveringanartery. “Thatwasyourdoing,”Yarosh
wastheannualVeteransCommittee “Lyingthere,Iwasreadyforthe said.“Theygottimeofffrom
LuncheonheldSeptember15atthe31st Lordtotakeme,”Yaroshrecalled. worktobewithmebecauseof
AnnualPEFConventioninNiagaraFalls. “ButtheLordwasn’treadyforme.” whatyouintheunionsdofor
“Wehavebirthfamilies,ourmarriage Inanattempttoputoutthe them.Theymadethedifference
families,ourPEFfamiliesandour flamesandgetawayfromthe forme,becauseyoumadethe
(military)servicefamilies,”PEFVeterans Bradley’sshellsthatheknewwould differenceforthem.
CommitteeChairRichardFletchertold begoingoffanyminute,Yarosh “It’sawesometoseeyouhave
117veteransandguestsattheluncheon. beganrollingoverandlandedina
Eachofthesefamiliescanbean nearbycanal.
importantsourceofsupportand “Thecanalwaspollutedandgave
YAROSH
aveterans’groupinyourunion
tohelpyourmemberswhoserve.
Youaregoingtoseemoreof
encouragement,hesaid,whentimesare mecholeraandafungalinfectionthat themcomingbacklikeme.
tough.Nooneintheroomunderstood hascostmemostofmyhands,butit “I’veseenotherguys(severelyinjured
thatbetterthanthekeynotespeaker,U.S. savedmylife,”Yaroshsaid. soldiers)whoaregoingtositintheir
ArmySgt.RickYarosh. Oncehisfellowsoldiersgothimontoa roomsandrefusetoleavethemforthe
“Unfortunately,wehavenounionin helicopterandtoafieldhospital,Yarosh restoftheirlives.Theirfamiliesweren’t
themilitary,”Yaroshsaid.“ButtheArmy saidhewasgivenaninjectionandkept abletogetawayfromtheirjobstobewith
andtheunionarealikebecausetheyboth unconscious. themwhentheyneededitmost.”
becomelikefamilyandtheybothare “Iremembernothingfromthenexttwo Yaroshsaidhisfamily’slove,
fighters.” orthreemonths,”Yaroshsaid.“ButI’m encouragementandsupporthavegiven
Thesonoftwostateemployees(his toldtheyhadmeattheburncenterin himtheconfidencetobuildanew,
father,TomYarosh,isaPEFmemberand SanAntonio,Texaswithin32hours.” strongersenseofwhoheis.
hismotherisintheCivilService Yaroshspentthenextsixmonthsin “Everybodyhasapurposeinlife,”
EmployeesAssociation),Yaroshfacedthe hospitals,wherehisbrokenlegwas Yaroshsaid.“I’vedecidedmyroleis
mostpainfulandterrifyingchallenges amputated,infectionstreated,burns tellingmystorytohelpothersovercome
imaginableinhisearly20s,butsaidhis healed,andhebeganphysicaltherapy. thechallengestheyface.
manyfamilieshelpedpullhimthroughit. “Mydadstayedbesidemefortwo “Inhighschool,Iwasterrifiedofpublic
InSeptember2006,Yaroshwasriding years,andmymomwaswithmefor speaking.Butafterwhat’shappened,I’m
inaBradleyFightingVehicleona sevenmonths.That’swhatgotme notafraidofanything.It’sletmestepup
Baghdadroadwhenanimprovised through.Iwouldn’tbehereifmyparents totheplate.
explosivedevicewentoffunderthefull hadn’tbeenwithme.Idon’tknowhowI “Itfeelsgoodtodosomethingwithmy
gastank.Hisfacewasengulfedinflames knewtheyweretherewhenIwas life.”
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TheCommunicatorOctober2009—Page15
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