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September 6, 2008
Yesterday while I was putting Nathan down for a nap, the phone rang but I couldn’t get to it. After he fell asleep, I came downstairs and my mom said that Lisa, Nathan’s PT had called, so I called back. Her news hit me like a ton of bricks. Vital Rehab, near Irving Park & Austin, where I take Nathan for pool therapy and play group, burned to the ground. Lisa was actually in the pool when the fire started. The lights went out and she heard her boss screaming for everyone to get out. Fortunately, there were only three people there and everyone is safe. By the time they ran out to the street the flames where shooting up in the air. It’s just so hard to imagine that this tremendous and beautiful facility is gone. It’s like a death in the family. I’m not sure how many kids receive their therapy at Vital Rehab every week, but I’m going to guess that it’s around 75 or so. When we are there every Tuesday, there are at least 20-30 people in the building. Additionally, adults with every manor of injury receive rehabilitation services as well. It’s just devastating.
On top of all the bad news about Vital Rehab, a lone gunman entered a bank yesterday in Wheaton and took 12 hostages for the entire afternoon. The local authorities worked fast and efficiently to get people out of the building through the back door and ultimately no one was hurt except 41-year-old Michael Long, father of two, who took his own life while his hostages watched in horror. Even though we live in Chicago, we consider Wheaton our hometown. It was very surreal and sad to watch both news events unfold on TV, hitting very close to home…overwhelming.