Remembering Christa McAuliffe and Marty Gross

Heroes come in many forms - defined by a lifetime of effort or a moment in time into which they are thrust, capturing our admiration and inspiring us with their example. It hardly seems like 30 years since I stood in the reception area of the Governor's Council and watched as a room full of people turned from excitement and pride to sadness beyond description. At the same time that we were remembering Christa we lost a very dear friend, Martin "Marty" Gross. To me Marty was a hero of the first variety; a man of great principle and heart who quietly provided the kind of leadership that is all too rare today . . . a selfless dedication to public service that reached across the aisle to build coalitions that brought out the best in us.
Christa, thank you for inspiring us to reach for the stars; and thank you Marty for a life of service and for all that you did to remind us that our common humanity was always more important than our political differences. If there is a heaven, Marty and Caroline will surely be moderating a bi-partisan discussion right now. http://bit.ly/1SOgoAK