My Journey to

THe Call of DUty

In 1967, as Vietnam’s conflict intensified, three friends from Immaculate High School answered the call to service. Bob chose the Marines, Greg entered ROTC, and I enlisted in the Army. Like many young men of our time, we believed preventing South Vietnam’s fall to communism was vital for stability in Asia. Though history would unfold differently, our sense of duty drove us forward despite the risks.

The Weight of War

That April, we endured intense combat, including a siege by North Vietnamese forces that brought constant air support and naval fire from the USS New Jersey. The hardest moment came through a letter from my father – my friend Bob had been killed just 20 miles from where I read those words. When February ’69 finally arrived, I boarded a jet to San Francisco, where I made my first call home to Mom in a year.

Finding Peace in Learning

Post-war life began at Fordham University, where I sat front row, hanging on every professor’s word. It was worlds away from the jungle, and I treasured each moment. Yet the war lingered – one afternoon, a bus backfire sent me flat to the floor in the Lincoln Tunnel, startling fellow passengers. Still, I pressed on, graduating cum laude in three and a half years with degrees in English and Philosophy.

A New Mission

The pivot to my life’s work came unexpectedly in 1977, when my sister mentioned a special education program in Paterson. What began as volunteer work with individuals with disabilities led me away from Prudential and into special education. Working at Murray House and Wayne House, pioneering group homes in New Jersey, I found a new purpose. During this time, I met Mary, who would become my wife. The journey culminated in pursuing speech therapy at Montclair State, where I could blend my philosophical interest in how we know what we know with a deep desire to help others find their voice.