Chicago does tree work in expansion area
Listen to WBBM780 interview me about this story!
By James Fuller
Less than a day after a DuPage County judge temporarily blocked demolition of Bensenville properties for O'Hare International Airport expansion, Chicago officials face allegations of violating the restraining order.
Construction crews trimmed and cleared trees Thursday morning from at least three properties on the 200 block of Orchard Road near the airport fence.
Bensenville attorney Joseph Karaganis said the heavy equipment used for the clearing damaged property and uprooted soil. DuPage Circuit Judge Kenneth Popejoy told city of Chicago attorneys on Wednesday not to disturb any soil at the site until environmental testing occurs.
"The whole premise of the injunction was based on expert opinion that there may be contamination in the soil," Karaganis said. "Don't disturb the soil until the testing is done, and Chicago proceeded to disturb the hell out of it."
O'Hare Modernization Program Executive Director Rosemarie Andolino said Bensenville is blowing things out of proportion. She said the tree trimming and clearing is comparable to everyday landscaping activities at the airport.
In this case, she said, the trimmings occurred to make expansion property owned by the city more visible to airport security patrolling the fence line and property managers overseeing vacant houses.
"We have every right to be on our property, making sure we provide a secure and safe property," Andolino said. "There are a lot of places that people can wander to, a lot of trees that people can hide behind."
Andolino said plans for further security measures at the 500 parcels Chicago controls are in place, including the installation of fencing. She said fencing could begin as early as today along with more tree clearing.
But first, Popejoy will decide if such activity violates the restraining order he has in place. A hearing is planned for this morning.
Chicago attorneys asked Popejoy for permission to erect fences at the last court hearing on Wednesday. Popejoy refused to give an impromptu ruling at the time.
Friday
Hard news: Mixed O’Hare ruling
By James Fuller and Justin Kmitch
jfuller@dailyherald.com jkmitch@dailyherald.com
Posted Thursday, July 26, 2007
Bulldozers could raze Bensenville homes in the area proposed for expanding O’Hare International Airport, but not until the city of Chicago completes environmental testing ordered Wednesday by a DuPage County judge.
The decision by DuPage Circuit Judge Kenneth Popejoy signaled a partial victory for Bensenville officials. It creates a further delay to the demolition work they have opposed for some time.
It’s unclear how long the environmental tests would take. Popejoy said he wants to see the results of the testing before allowing demolition to proceed.
Bensenville submitted sworn affidavits by experts indicating the likelihood of toxic chemicals being present on various parts of the expansion site, such as the old Nelson Steel and Wire Co. property.
“I am not going to risk the residents of Bensenville and the other residents in the surrounding area,” Popejoy said.
Last week, Republican U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam urged the FAA and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a thorough study to examine the risks of exposure to toxic substances during the proposed demolition. Roskam called Wednesday’s ruling a “step in the right direction.”
“This decision is in concert with what I was arguing for,” he said. “My constituents need to be protected from these unknown risks.”
But not all of Popejoy’s decisions went Bensenville’s way.
Bensenville had planned to issue stop work orders to any demolition crew and to arrest anyone who ignored them.
But Popejoy ruled Bensenville’s local laws requiring village approval of demolition applications don’t apply to the O’Hare expansion project.
Popejoy emphasized Bensenville’s lack of authority to hinder the expansion. He said he’ll clear his schedule to review the results of the environmental tests to prevent further delays.
That indicates demolition ultimately will proceed. It’s just a matter of when.
Still, Bensenville attorney Joseph Karaganis emphasized his disbelief that full funding of any phase of the expansion will occur.
Karaganis said he believes Chicago to be between $1.5 billion and $2.1 billion short of paying for the initial $8 billion phase.
Earlier this year, project leaders disclosed a $400 million cost overrun and a new projected deadline — pushing the cost from $7.5 billion to nearly $8 billion and setting back completion from 2013 to 2014. They also pushed back the opening of O’Hare’s first new runway by one year.
If demolition proceeds but funding stalls, Bensenville would be stuck with a vast dirt plain.
“Many people, including the media, believe that we are pursuing a lost cause because Chicago is moving some dirt around on the airport grounds,” Village President John Geils said in a prepared statement. “Chicago is engaged in a dangerous and costly game in which they are already spending untold millions before the most important issues are settled.
“If the courts rule against Chicago — and we’re confident that when they follow the rule of law, they will — Daley will need to do some serious explaining to taxpayers why he pursued this folly.”
Chicago’s attorneys declined comment after Wednesday’s hearing and calls placed to O’Hare Modernization Program officials weren’t returned.
Monday
Trend in video games targets the Christian audience
BY JAMES FULLER
Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man and Jesus Christ could be the faces of the video game industry's Mount Rushmore if Christian game developers have a say.
The video game industry saw record sales of $13.5 billion last year. No Christian games cracked the Top 10 sales lists, but gamers at this weekend's 2007 Christian Game Developers Conference pray that soon will change.
They're starting not just with Best Buy and Circuit City outlets near you, but also in the churches and youth ministries in your neighborhood.
Teaching tools
Parents at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Naperville are using "Gospel Champions" to supplement summer Bible readings. The church lets parishioners download the game from its Web site right onto their home computers and activate it with an access code for the church's licensed copy.
The game changes monthly to match Bible readings. July's reading is the Good Samaritan story. Characters in the game controlled by kids act out a computerized version of the parable, complete with rehearsing basic Christian prayers in various spots."As a parent, and knowing how much kids are on the computer, I thought this was something that we actually want kids to know," said Patti Dougherty, the parish's religious education director.
The popularity of "Gospel Champions" is unknown, but interest seems to be growing.
Armageddon on PC
On a national level, the "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" game is arguably the Christian game that's attracted the most interest.
The electronic adventure is modeled after the best-selling Christian book series about the aftermath of the Rapture - when God takes all faithful Christians from the earth.
"Eternal Forces" lets players lead a group of Christian forces against demonic soldiers resembling United Nations Peacekeepers in hopes of converting them. There's no blood, and prayer is the best weapon against guns, an aspect of the game that stifled most, but not all, Christian fears about violence in the game.
Lake Villa's Cheryl Gress founded the Web site Christ Centered Game Reviews after encountering too many games with "cult" themes that she felt uncomfortable playing after being inadequately warned by the game labels.
Gress said "Eternal Forces" probably had the biggest budget, name recognition and marketing effort of any Christian-themed game she's reviewed.
Indeed, Left Behind Games, which is tied to Carol Stream's Tyndale Publishers, reports more than 1 million requests for pass-it-on trial versions of the game from churches and ministries.
Still, Gress slammed the game in her personal review, as did most of the national video game press.
"I just found it really hard," Gress said. "And the online help community is not exactly there for it, because it's not a mainstream game."
Finding an audience
The challenge facing developers of Christian-themed video games is difficult, according to Bill Bean, president of the Association of Christian Entertainment, one of the organizations behind this year's Christian gaming conference.
They must create a game capable of not only making it to store shelves - but selling once it gets there.
"No one's looking at our packages and saying, 'Wow, that's good, and look, it says God on the box,'" Bean said. "We, as Christian game developers, need to provide games that are really fun to play, have a message in it and are reasonably priced."
Price is part of the reason John's Christian Stores throughout the suburbs aren't selling nearly as many video games as they do music CDs.
Brian Cook, a buyer for the chain, said his stores have only sold two copies of "Eternal Forces" since it hit the shelves in time for Christmas last year. The $59.95 price tag is one of the reasons.
"The quality doesn't match what you would expect to get out of a $60 game," Cook said. "But it's a unique market. There are very little Christian games, and there are always customers looking for it."
If a developer produces a Christian game that's both high quality and decently priced, Cook predicts the product would sell well.
"There's definitely people out there waiting for something," he said.
A dancing success
One Christian-themed game has sold out at John's Christian Stores.
It's called "Dance Praise Party." And Steve and Katie Willemssen count themselves among the fans of the Christian clone of the popular "Dance Dance Revolution."
Every Friday night at the their Aurora home, the couple and many of their 30-something friends gather around the television for a "Dance Praise Party" contest.
Only they're not bringing "SexyBack" with Justin Timberlake. Instead, they're getting down to Audio Adrenaline, a Christian band.
Steve Willemssen is the decided John Travolta of the group - wowing the crowd whenever it's his turn on the dance mat.
"We probably wouldn't have gotten one if it wasn't Christian, because the music these days is horrible," Katie Willemssen said. "The lyrics today, we would never appreciate something like that. So it's cool that the Christian market is coming up with something - that kids and adults now have an alternative to DDR."
Bean is one of the creators of "Dance Praise Party." He said the reason for the product's success is a lot of time spent on his knees asking God for guidance.
"You really want to make sure that this is what the Lord wants you to do," Bean said.
To that end, Bean said the future for Christian video game makers is to produce products for the big console systems like PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
"You ask yourself: What Christian titles have come out that have used good technology, had a good story and glued together good activities with a subtle message?" Bean said. "Is the product of equal quality as the same non-Christian games released at the same time, or did they do a value job on a Christian product?"
So where can Christians find those games?
"I haven't seen it," Bean confessed. "But I'd like to see it."
Mario, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man and Jesus Christ could be the faces of the video game industry's Mount Rushmore if Christian game developers have a say.
The video game industry saw record sales of $13.5 billion last year. No Christian games cracked the Top 10 sales lists, but gamers at this weekend's 2007 Christian Game Developers Conference pray that soon will change.
They're starting not just with Best Buy and Circuit City outlets near you, but also in the churches and youth ministries in your neighborhood.
Teaching tools
Parents at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Naperville are using "Gospel Champions" to supplement summer Bible readings. The church lets parishioners download the game from its Web site right onto their home computers and activate it with an access code for the church's licensed copy.
The game changes monthly to match Bible readings. July's reading is the Good Samaritan story. Characters in the game controlled by kids act out a computerized version of the parable, complete with rehearsing basic Christian prayers in various spots."As a parent, and knowing how much kids are on the computer, I thought this was something that we actually want kids to know," said Patti Dougherty, the parish's religious education director.
The popularity of "Gospel Champions" is unknown, but interest seems to be growing.
Armageddon on PC
On a national level, the "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" game is arguably the Christian game that's attracted the most interest.
The electronic adventure is modeled after the best-selling Christian book series about the aftermath of the Rapture - when God takes all faithful Christians from the earth.
"Eternal Forces" lets players lead a group of Christian forces against demonic soldiers resembling United Nations Peacekeepers in hopes of converting them. There's no blood, and prayer is the best weapon against guns, an aspect of the game that stifled most, but not all, Christian fears about violence in the game.
Lake Villa's Cheryl Gress founded the Web site Christ Centered Game Reviews after encountering too many games with "cult" themes that she felt uncomfortable playing after being inadequately warned by the game labels.
Gress said "Eternal Forces" probably had the biggest budget, name recognition and marketing effort of any Christian-themed game she's reviewed.
Indeed, Left Behind Games, which is tied to Carol Stream's Tyndale Publishers, reports more than 1 million requests for pass-it-on trial versions of the game from churches and ministries.
Still, Gress slammed the game in her personal review, as did most of the national video game press.
"I just found it really hard," Gress said. "And the online help community is not exactly there for it, because it's not a mainstream game."
Finding an audience
The challenge facing developers of Christian-themed video games is difficult, according to Bill Bean, president of the Association of Christian Entertainment, one of the organizations behind this year's Christian gaming conference.
They must create a game capable of not only making it to store shelves - but selling once it gets there.
"No one's looking at our packages and saying, 'Wow, that's good, and look, it says God on the box,'" Bean said. "We, as Christian game developers, need to provide games that are really fun to play, have a message in it and are reasonably priced."
Price is part of the reason John's Christian Stores throughout the suburbs aren't selling nearly as many video games as they do music CDs.
Brian Cook, a buyer for the chain, said his stores have only sold two copies of "Eternal Forces" since it hit the shelves in time for Christmas last year. The $59.95 price tag is one of the reasons.
"The quality doesn't match what you would expect to get out of a $60 game," Cook said. "But it's a unique market. There are very little Christian games, and there are always customers looking for it."
If a developer produces a Christian game that's both high quality and decently priced, Cook predicts the product would sell well.
"There's definitely people out there waiting for something," he said.
A dancing success
One Christian-themed game has sold out at John's Christian Stores.
It's called "Dance Praise Party." And Steve and Katie Willemssen count themselves among the fans of the Christian clone of the popular "Dance Dance Revolution."
Every Friday night at the their Aurora home, the couple and many of their 30-something friends gather around the television for a "Dance Praise Party" contest.
Only they're not bringing "SexyBack" with Justin Timberlake. Instead, they're getting down to Audio Adrenaline, a Christian band.
Steve Willemssen is the decided John Travolta of the group - wowing the crowd whenever it's his turn on the dance mat.
"We probably wouldn't have gotten one if it wasn't Christian, because the music these days is horrible," Katie Willemssen said. "The lyrics today, we would never appreciate something like that. So it's cool that the Christian market is coming up with something - that kids and adults now have an alternative to DDR."
Bean is one of the creators of "Dance Praise Party." He said the reason for the product's success is a lot of time spent on his knees asking God for guidance.
"You really want to make sure that this is what the Lord wants you to do," Bean said.
To that end, Bean said the future for Christian video game makers is to produce products for the big console systems like PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
"You ask yourself: What Christian titles have come out that have used good technology, had a good story and glued together good activities with a subtle message?" Bean said. "Is the product of equal quality as the same non-Christian games released at the same time, or did they do a value job on a Christian product?"
So where can Christians find those games?
"I haven't seen it," Bean confessed. "But I'd like to see it."
Tuesday
Fans back Floyd Landis in Wheaton, but ...
They wouldn't be surprised if cyclist is found to have cheated in 2006 Tour de France
BY JAMES FULLER
jfuller@dailyherald.com
(Tanit Jarusan/tjarusan@dailyherald.com)
Floyd Landis emerged from last year's Tour de France with both a yellow jersey and a heap of controversy about doping on his shoulders, but local cycling fans stood by him Monday even while bracing for disappointment.
Landis appeared at Borders in Wheaton Monday to sign his new book, "Positively False."Not one person would say Landis was, no doubt, a cheater in a non-scientific poll of people coming to see Landis.
That's not a shocking outcome for a crowd that gave Landis a standing ovation, bought every copy of the book in the store and then waited in line more than two hours to have it signed.
Perhaps more interesting was why they support Landis.
A good portion of the crowd, especially enthusiasts who turned out in bicycle shorts, believe there were flawed methods in the doping test Landis failed.
That's the same argument Landis has put forward for the past year. Some fans had other theories.
Tom Johnson, of Wheaton, said he'd believe in Landis' innocence even if Landis had illegal drugs in his system.
"It wouldn't shock me if someone put something in his drinks without him knowing," Johnson said. "It's not like the stuff is hard to come by. Someone probably did it in exchange for $25."
Kellyanne Thomas' view was similar to many others in that, as a fan, she wants to believe Landis is innocent. But she wouldn't be shocked if Landis was guilty.
Indeed, the names of Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds came up more than once, indicating cynicism about baseball's steroid scandal has already numbed fans to the possible fall of another sports hero.
Thomas, of LaGrange, cited Landis' visible anger when he crossed the finish line and immediately after as very counter to the man she met at the book signing, and a possible sign of " 'roid rage."
"It's the only thing that, if I hadn't seen that, I'd have no reason for suspicion," Thomas said.
Others said there's so much confusion now that there's no way anyone will ever know for sure if Landis cheated or not.
Steve Lindeen of Wheaton said Landis has given the testing methods enough of a black eye with his accusations of shoddy labs and tainted measurements that even a final court ruling against Landis can't be trusted. A ruling in favor of Landis wouldn't be definitive, either, but decidedly better for cycling, he said.
"He says he's innocent," Lindeen said. "For the good of the sport, I think that it's very important he's innocent because he's said he is."
BY JAMES FULLER
jfuller@dailyherald.com
(Tanit Jarusan/tjarusan@dailyherald.com)
Floyd Landis emerged from last year's Tour de France with both a yellow jersey and a heap of controversy about doping on his shoulders, but local cycling fans stood by him Monday even while bracing for disappointment.
Landis appeared at Borders in Wheaton Monday to sign his new book, "Positively False."Not one person would say Landis was, no doubt, a cheater in a non-scientific poll of people coming to see Landis.
That's not a shocking outcome for a crowd that gave Landis a standing ovation, bought every copy of the book in the store and then waited in line more than two hours to have it signed.
Perhaps more interesting was why they support Landis.
A good portion of the crowd, especially enthusiasts who turned out in bicycle shorts, believe there were flawed methods in the doping test Landis failed.
That's the same argument Landis has put forward for the past year. Some fans had other theories.
Tom Johnson, of Wheaton, said he'd believe in Landis' innocence even if Landis had illegal drugs in his system.
"It wouldn't shock me if someone put something in his drinks without him knowing," Johnson said. "It's not like the stuff is hard to come by. Someone probably did it in exchange for $25."
Kellyanne Thomas' view was similar to many others in that, as a fan, she wants to believe Landis is innocent. But she wouldn't be shocked if Landis was guilty.
Indeed, the names of Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds came up more than once, indicating cynicism about baseball's steroid scandal has already numbed fans to the possible fall of another sports hero.
Thomas, of LaGrange, cited Landis' visible anger when he crossed the finish line and immediately after as very counter to the man she met at the book signing, and a possible sign of " 'roid rage."
"It's the only thing that, if I hadn't seen that, I'd have no reason for suspicion," Thomas said.
Others said there's so much confusion now that there's no way anyone will ever know for sure if Landis cheated or not.
Steve Lindeen of Wheaton said Landis has given the testing methods enough of a black eye with his accusations of shoddy labs and tainted measurements that even a final court ruling against Landis can't be trusted. A ruling in favor of Landis wouldn't be definitive, either, but decidedly better for cycling, he said.
"He says he's innocent," Lindeen said. "For the good of the sport, I think that it's very important he's innocent because he's said he is."
Monday
‘So many times they wrote him off’
Aid for Villa Park boy overcoming premature birth might be running out
By James Fuller
jfuller@dailyherald.com
Kelly Walker felt the warm glow of motherhood as she left her doctor’s office the afternoon of Jan. 3, 2004. Her ultrasound showed healthy twins.
A mounting terror erased that feeling when she went into labor at 11 p.m. that night. Mason and Grace weren’t due until April 11, Easter weekend.
“I thought, ‘There’s no way this is happening. They’re three months early. How can they live?’” Walker recalled.
Three years later, Walker finds herself asking that question about Mason again. The family’s insurance is tapped out. Mason no longer qualifies for nursing care through public aid. Soon, all the help Mason needs may vanish.
Now the Walkers are hoping a bowling fundraiser next weekend will help keep Mason moving forward.
Baby steps
Grace triggered the premature birth. Her placenta was 30 percent detached, torn and filling with blood. It was either birth or death.
Hours later, Mason and Grace entered the world in miniature. Their footprints were the length of two quarters with little nubs for toes.
Despite their size, there was relief.
The twins survived their tumultuous birth. The worst seemed to be over as the twins began their incubator lives and the path to going home to Villa Park.
Grace took that path. Mason followed another.
A week into Mason’s life he developed a bruise on the top of his right foot. Doctors attributed it to an awkward sleeping position.
A few days later, when it appeared to worsen, the bruise was traced to needle pokes Mason received during his care. His foot was treated with cream and wrapped in gauze.
It didn’t help. Mason’s tiny body swelled with so much infection his father, Joe, feared his skin would burst. Mason ballooned from a 2-pound premie into 10 pounds of sick child.
Doctors determined Mason had an E. coli infection stemming from a small hole in his intestines.
The mysterious hole healed, but the infection was so severe that medical staff told the Walkers they should take their son’s toys home and prepare for his death.
“They told me they’d never seen anyone that sick live,” Kelly Walker said.
Mason’s body wasn’t ridding itself of the toxins. He hadn’t urinated in a week. That’s when Kelly Walker had an idea.
She told the doctors to try putting his hand in a cup of warm water. After some hesitancy, the staff gave it a shot and Mason responded just like one of Kelly’s friends had done at an ill-fated teenage sleepover.
Mason’s swelling ebbed, but his right foot grew ever worse, eventually tearing open in several places. He received a pig skin graft to close the wounds, but the infection spread to his hip.
A year’s worth of failed attempts to save Mason’s foot followed.
“It was a mangled mess,” Kelly Walker said.
Amputation was the only option left. The infection also stunted the formation of Mason’s hip socket. His right leg would grow at a far slower rate than his left, requiring a prosthesis that makes it look like Mason’s calf was amputated as well.
Now the boy who shouldn’t be alive is 3 years old.
“So many times they wrote him off, and so many times he’s proven them wrong,” Kelly Walker said.
Helping hands
Mason is looking to prove everyone wrong again by learning to walk on his own with the help of therapists at Easter Seals and his nurse, Kathleen Brannon.
It’s Tuesday and that means speech, physical and occupational therapy.
A web of eight bungee cords strapped to a cage on one end and a harness on the other holds Mason upright. Mary Wyler coaxes Mason to perform various exercises while also finding enough entertainment to soothe the rambunctious toddler.
“I want No. 5,” Mason says.
It’s a reference to the “Thomas the Tank Engine” children’s show that Mason currently is obsessed with.
“No. 5 is James,” Mason says. Indeed, he knows all the characters by their names, numbers and faces.
Wyler strategically places the toy train so Mason must lean back and do a sit-up to reach it. Mason’s muscles are underdeveloped. He uses a walker pushed mostly with his left leg to get around. He can’t stand on his own. Yet.
“Are you gonna walk, Mr. Walker?” Brannon asks, shifting Mason over to a treadmill.
“I’m ready,” he replies.
The treadmill also has a harness. It lowers Mason to a standing position on the tread, which moves as slowly as 0.1 mph. Mason intersperses walking with other exercises, such as kicking toy police cars off the treadmill with his prosthetic leg.
This is remarkable progress for Mason. When he first started therapy he was so weak that sometimes he’d stop breathing while trying to lift his head.
Now he’s a little Godzilla on the treadmill, deflecting all would-be objects near his legs.
Once complete, it’s time for Linda Merry to concentrate on some of Mason’s fine motor skills. Mason’s nervous system also is underdeveloped. For instance, he began with no instinctual concept of the danger of letting go while swinging on a swing. Climbing over balls and mats requires a thought process Mason still is developing.
His nerves also are hypersensitive. Touching something like grass or clay can feel so unusual to Mason that it scares him.
“OK, big guy,” Merry says to Mason. “Are you ready to play?”
“OK,” Mason responds. It’s his favorite reply, even when it’s obvious he’d rather not do the requested activity. It’s also not unusual for him to request a hug now and then.
Mason concentrates on twisting lids, drawing vertical lines and pulling putty apart, all of which require coordinated muscle use.
“It’s not all about the legs,” Merry said. “It’s about maximizing strengths to minimize his weaknesses.”
Financial obstacles
Mason is much more capable than he would be otherwise thanks to all the care he receives.
But he’ll still need a lifetime of therapy.
Without some financial help, backward steps may be the first he takes.
One of the first things he’ll lose is Brannon, his nurse. Public aid won’t pay for her anymore because Mason is healthy enough to avoid a hospital stay without her. All told, it’s a $3,600-a-month cost the Walkers can’t afford.
“Without a doubt, if he didn’t have the therapy and extra help that he gets, he would just crumble and not be the same as he is today,” Kelly Walker said. “He has come so far. He’s come from the dead. It crushes me to think that he could go completely backward.”
By James Fuller
jfuller@dailyherald.com
Kelly Walker felt the warm glow of motherhood as she left her doctor’s office the afternoon of Jan. 3, 2004. Her ultrasound showed healthy twins.
A mounting terror erased that feeling when she went into labor at 11 p.m. that night. Mason and Grace weren’t due until April 11, Easter weekend.
“I thought, ‘There’s no way this is happening. They’re three months early. How can they live?’” Walker recalled.
Three years later, Walker finds herself asking that question about Mason again. The family’s insurance is tapped out. Mason no longer qualifies for nursing care through public aid. Soon, all the help Mason needs may vanish.
Now the Walkers are hoping a bowling fundraiser next weekend will help keep Mason moving forward.
Baby steps
Grace triggered the premature birth. Her placenta was 30 percent detached, torn and filling with blood. It was either birth or death.
Hours later, Mason and Grace entered the world in miniature. Their footprints were the length of two quarters with little nubs for toes.
Despite their size, there was relief.
The twins survived their tumultuous birth. The worst seemed to be over as the twins began their incubator lives and the path to going home to Villa Park.
Grace took that path. Mason followed another.
A week into Mason’s life he developed a bruise on the top of his right foot. Doctors attributed it to an awkward sleeping position.
A few days later, when it appeared to worsen, the bruise was traced to needle pokes Mason received during his care. His foot was treated with cream and wrapped in gauze.
It didn’t help. Mason’s tiny body swelled with so much infection his father, Joe, feared his skin would burst. Mason ballooned from a 2-pound premie into 10 pounds of sick child.
Doctors determined Mason had an E. coli infection stemming from a small hole in his intestines.
The mysterious hole healed, but the infection was so severe that medical staff told the Walkers they should take their son’s toys home and prepare for his death.
“They told me they’d never seen anyone that sick live,” Kelly Walker said.
Mason’s body wasn’t ridding itself of the toxins. He hadn’t urinated in a week. That’s when Kelly Walker had an idea.
She told the doctors to try putting his hand in a cup of warm water. After some hesitancy, the staff gave it a shot and Mason responded just like one of Kelly’s friends had done at an ill-fated teenage sleepover.
Mason’s swelling ebbed, but his right foot grew ever worse, eventually tearing open in several places. He received a pig skin graft to close the wounds, but the infection spread to his hip.
A year’s worth of failed attempts to save Mason’s foot followed.
“It was a mangled mess,” Kelly Walker said.
Amputation was the only option left. The infection also stunted the formation of Mason’s hip socket. His right leg would grow at a far slower rate than his left, requiring a prosthesis that makes it look like Mason’s calf was amputated as well.
Now the boy who shouldn’t be alive is 3 years old.
“So many times they wrote him off, and so many times he’s proven them wrong,” Kelly Walker said.
Helping hands
Mason is looking to prove everyone wrong again by learning to walk on his own with the help of therapists at Easter Seals and his nurse, Kathleen Brannon.
It’s Tuesday and that means speech, physical and occupational therapy.
A web of eight bungee cords strapped to a cage on one end and a harness on the other holds Mason upright. Mary Wyler coaxes Mason to perform various exercises while also finding enough entertainment to soothe the rambunctious toddler.
“I want No. 5,” Mason says.
It’s a reference to the “Thomas the Tank Engine” children’s show that Mason currently is obsessed with.
“No. 5 is James,” Mason says. Indeed, he knows all the characters by their names, numbers and faces.
Wyler strategically places the toy train so Mason must lean back and do a sit-up to reach it. Mason’s muscles are underdeveloped. He uses a walker pushed mostly with his left leg to get around. He can’t stand on his own. Yet.
“Are you gonna walk, Mr. Walker?” Brannon asks, shifting Mason over to a treadmill.
“I’m ready,” he replies.
The treadmill also has a harness. It lowers Mason to a standing position on the tread, which moves as slowly as 0.1 mph. Mason intersperses walking with other exercises, such as kicking toy police cars off the treadmill with his prosthetic leg.
This is remarkable progress for Mason. When he first started therapy he was so weak that sometimes he’d stop breathing while trying to lift his head.
Now he’s a little Godzilla on the treadmill, deflecting all would-be objects near his legs.
Once complete, it’s time for Linda Merry to concentrate on some of Mason’s fine motor skills. Mason’s nervous system also is underdeveloped. For instance, he began with no instinctual concept of the danger of letting go while swinging on a swing. Climbing over balls and mats requires a thought process Mason still is developing.
His nerves also are hypersensitive. Touching something like grass or clay can feel so unusual to Mason that it scares him.
“OK, big guy,” Merry says to Mason. “Are you ready to play?”
“OK,” Mason responds. It’s his favorite reply, even when it’s obvious he’d rather not do the requested activity. It’s also not unusual for him to request a hug now and then.
Mason concentrates on twisting lids, drawing vertical lines and pulling putty apart, all of which require coordinated muscle use.
“It’s not all about the legs,” Merry said. “It’s about maximizing strengths to minimize his weaknesses.”
Financial obstacles
Mason is much more capable than he would be otherwise thanks to all the care he receives.
But he’ll still need a lifetime of therapy.
Without some financial help, backward steps may be the first he takes.
One of the first things he’ll lose is Brannon, his nurse. Public aid won’t pay for her anymore because Mason is healthy enough to avoid a hospital stay without her. All told, it’s a $3,600-a-month cost the Walkers can’t afford.
“Without a doubt, if he didn’t have the therapy and extra help that he gets, he would just crumble and not be the same as he is today,” Kelly Walker said. “He has come so far. He’s come from the dead. It crushes me to think that he could go completely backward.”
Tuesday
Fire guts apartment building
Wheaton families homeless; lightning suspected in blaze
Photo by Daily Herald Photographer Bev Horne
By James Fuller
Jared Standridge was sitting in his living room with his dog Arwen when he heard a crash of thunder and saw a bright flash followed by a “zapping” sound.
“Then everybody was running around, banging on doors,” Standridge said. “I think everybody got out fine, but I don’t know.”
The immediate aftermath of a fire that consumed a 24-unit apartment building in Wheaton Monday afternoon was confusion and concern.
Some residents toted their dogs and cats around, nuzzling them with a newfound appreciation. Others bawled with the apparent loss of irreplaceable photo albums and other belongings.
Photo by Daily Herald Photographer Bev Horne
The fire began shortly before an alarm went off in the building at about 3:30 p.m. Heavy rain and gusting winds pounded the Amli at Danada Farms apartment complex just before the alarm, leading both fire officials and witnesses to speculate that lightning may be to blame.
“I saw it kind of smoldering and the fire department got there and it was almost like they didn’t have to call anybody else,” said Rick Schweihs, who lives in a neighboring building. “Then all of sudden flames were shooting up.”
Some 30 fire departments and about 100 firefighters responded to the alarm. Smoke and flames began to dissipate an hour into the fight, but the damage was evident. Nearly the entire roof collapsed, leaving only a series of thin strips of the once-vaulted ceilings grasping at the sky like the teeth of a rake.
Residents of the complex said there were no sprinklers in the building, but a fire alarm system was in place that signals the fire department when triggered by smoke or flames.
In the end, fire officials confirmed everyone made it out of the building without injury. By 6:15 p.m., only a few hot spots remained as firefighters walked the interior of the now uninhabitable building.
Red Cross personnel arrived at the scene in the late afternoon to help the newly homeless residents find temporary shelter. Property managers declined comment.
Wheaton Fire Chief Greg Berk said it was too soon to know the cause of the fire for sure, but fire officials were interviewing witnesses who saw lightning just before the blaze erupted. Berk said the Wheaton Fire Department also received several calls about lightning strikes in the area before the Amli fire alarm sounded.
Photo by Daily Herald Photographer Bev Horne
By James Fuller
Jared Standridge was sitting in his living room with his dog Arwen when he heard a crash of thunder and saw a bright flash followed by a “zapping” sound.
“Then everybody was running around, banging on doors,” Standridge said. “I think everybody got out fine, but I don’t know.”
The immediate aftermath of a fire that consumed a 24-unit apartment building in Wheaton Monday afternoon was confusion and concern.
Some residents toted their dogs and cats around, nuzzling them with a newfound appreciation. Others bawled with the apparent loss of irreplaceable photo albums and other belongings.
Photo by Daily Herald Photographer Bev Horne
The fire began shortly before an alarm went off in the building at about 3:30 p.m. Heavy rain and gusting winds pounded the Amli at Danada Farms apartment complex just before the alarm, leading both fire officials and witnesses to speculate that lightning may be to blame.
“I saw it kind of smoldering and the fire department got there and it was almost like they didn’t have to call anybody else,” said Rick Schweihs, who lives in a neighboring building. “Then all of sudden flames were shooting up.”
Some 30 fire departments and about 100 firefighters responded to the alarm. Smoke and flames began to dissipate an hour into the fight, but the damage was evident. Nearly the entire roof collapsed, leaving only a series of thin strips of the once-vaulted ceilings grasping at the sky like the teeth of a rake.
Residents of the complex said there were no sprinklers in the building, but a fire alarm system was in place that signals the fire department when triggered by smoke or flames.
In the end, fire officials confirmed everyone made it out of the building without injury. By 6:15 p.m., only a few hot spots remained as firefighters walked the interior of the now uninhabitable building.
Red Cross personnel arrived at the scene in the late afternoon to help the newly homeless residents find temporary shelter. Property managers declined comment.
Wheaton Fire Chief Greg Berk said it was too soon to know the cause of the fire for sure, but fire officials were interviewing witnesses who saw lightning just before the blaze erupted. Berk said the Wheaton Fire Department also received several calls about lightning strikes in the area before the Amli fire alarm sounded.
Thursday
Billy Graham's lifelong 'soul mate' in coma
BY JAMES FULLER
Posted Thursday, June 14, 2007
The story of Ruth and the Rev. Billy Graham began at Wheaton College - the two fell in love reading tombstone epitaphs in a nearby countryside graveyard.
Friends of the Grahams now say they wouldn't be surprised if the couple both soon leave this world as the 86-year-old Ruth lapsed into a coma Wednesday.
And Billy Graham himself seemed to acknowledge that when he said: "Ruth is my soul mate and best friend, and I cannot imagine living a single day without her by my side."
Ruth, 86, has degenerative osteoarthritis of the back and neck and has been bedridden at their home in western North Carolina.
The 88-year-old preacher and adviser to presidents has been in frail health for years, suffering from fluid on the brain, prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease.
Ruth Graham AP Photo
Harold Myra and Marshall Shelley co-authored "The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham," but they came to know the couple long before. Myra is the retired CEO of Carol Stream-based Christianity Today, a publication Billy Graham founded. Shelley is the editorial vice president.
Both men recalled Ruth Graham as a "spunky," strong-willed woman who never feared telling her husband exactly what she thought. Indeed, Myra recalled in a recent article that the door to the bedridden Ruth Graham's room bears a sign reading, "Nobody knows the trouble I've been."
Shelley said Ruth is the grounding force behind her husband - raising their family on her own much of the time and acting as a counselor for her famous husband.
Myra has personal experience with Ruth Graham's strong will.
"One time she called me about an article that we'd run in the magazine and she started by saying, 'Harold, how could this happen!'" Myra said. "She wasn't intruding, but she wanted us to know her thoughts."
He declined to say what the article was about.
But then there was the time just a couple of years ago when Myra's Wheaton home burned down. Ruth Graham was one of the first to reach out to him with a $100 donation to the rebuilding effort, and a copy of one of her books to begin piecing his personal library back together.
"It was her tremendous concern for the downtrodden, the weak and those who have had trouble," Myra said. "Even when Jim Baker was going through prison and all that, when he was released, she reached out to him and gave him hope for the future."
Myra and Shelley said the days of both Ruth and Billy Graham may be numbered. Both have been in ill health in recent years, and both recently lost siblings.
"Her death would obviously be a very powerful loss," Myra said. "He's been ready to step into glory for a while now. If she dies, she would be there, and I think he's ready to go."
Shelley said Ruth Graham's death would cause the Rev. Graham to grieve, but it would be lessened by the hope of her leaving to be in the presence of Jesus Christ.
"Billy has indicated that he has been ready to meet his maker on any occasion," Shelley said. "He is not afraid to die."
Posted Thursday, June 14, 2007
The story of Ruth and the Rev. Billy Graham began at Wheaton College - the two fell in love reading tombstone epitaphs in a nearby countryside graveyard.
Friends of the Grahams now say they wouldn't be surprised if the couple both soon leave this world as the 86-year-old Ruth lapsed into a coma Wednesday.
And Billy Graham himself seemed to acknowledge that when he said: "Ruth is my soul mate and best friend, and I cannot imagine living a single day without her by my side."
Ruth, 86, has degenerative osteoarthritis of the back and neck and has been bedridden at their home in western North Carolina.
The 88-year-old preacher and adviser to presidents has been in frail health for years, suffering from fluid on the brain, prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease.
Ruth Graham AP Photo
Harold Myra and Marshall Shelley co-authored "The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham," but they came to know the couple long before. Myra is the retired CEO of Carol Stream-based Christianity Today, a publication Billy Graham founded. Shelley is the editorial vice president.
Both men recalled Ruth Graham as a "spunky," strong-willed woman who never feared telling her husband exactly what she thought. Indeed, Myra recalled in a recent article that the door to the bedridden Ruth Graham's room bears a sign reading, "Nobody knows the trouble I've been."
Shelley said Ruth is the grounding force behind her husband - raising their family on her own much of the time and acting as a counselor for her famous husband.
Myra has personal experience with Ruth Graham's strong will.
"One time she called me about an article that we'd run in the magazine and she started by saying, 'Harold, how could this happen!'" Myra said. "She wasn't intruding, but she wanted us to know her thoughts."
He declined to say what the article was about.
But then there was the time just a couple of years ago when Myra's Wheaton home burned down. Ruth Graham was one of the first to reach out to him with a $100 donation to the rebuilding effort, and a copy of one of her books to begin piecing his personal library back together.
"It was her tremendous concern for the downtrodden, the weak and those who have had trouble," Myra said. "Even when Jim Baker was going through prison and all that, when he was released, she reached out to him and gave him hope for the future."
Myra and Shelley said the days of both Ruth and Billy Graham may be numbered. Both have been in ill health in recent years, and both recently lost siblings.
"Her death would obviously be a very powerful loss," Myra said. "He's been ready to step into glory for a while now. If she dies, she would be there, and I think he's ready to go."
Shelley said Ruth Graham's death would cause the Rev. Graham to grieve, but it would be lessened by the hope of her leaving to be in the presence of Jesus Christ.
"Billy has indicated that he has been ready to meet his maker on any occasion," Shelley said. "He is not afraid to die."
Local leaders laud Falwell's devotion
By James Fuller
Be it moral issues, social evils or religious callings, the Rev. Jerry Falwell was never afraid to speak his mind.
For that reason alone, local watchers of Christian evangelism noted Falwell's death Tuesday as a landmark event.
Wheaton College Chaplain Stephen Kellough said Falwell's faith was something all evangelicals could agree with. Falwell's political positions and sometimes audacious comments on issues such as the civil rights movement and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were what pushed the gamut of evangelical belief, Kellough said.
“As far as Jerry Falwell spoke concerning the essential Gospel of Jesus Christ, he would be embraced by Evangelicals across the spectrum,” Kellough said. “But his participation in political issues is seen as especially controversial. He certainly represented one end of the spectrum there. He was not shy concerning his faith.”
Even those who counted Falwell as a personal friend, such as Willow Creek Community Church Founding Pastor Bill Hybels, felt the need to create some distance between the evangelist and the politician Tuesday.
Associated Press
“While we sometimes felt differently about how to approach many of the great challenges of our day, Dr. Falwell gave his life to his family, his church, his beloved university, and the country he sought to improve,” Hybels said in a written statement.
Falwell's political activity stood in stark contrast to Wheaton College alum Billy Graham, another evangelical icon of the same generation.
Graham has never treaded far into the political world, said David Neff, editor of Christianity Today, which Graham founded.
“With Jerry Falwell, he tried to attend to both a ministry, an educational institution and have a strong political influence,” Neff said. “It just may not be possible to do all of those things effectively at the same time. Dr. Falwell probably came as close as anyone could.”
Falwell's ministry efforts touched Chicago's suburbs, too. He planned, with the Southern Baptist Convention, to establish a church in Long Grove. It never materialized, but the failure was minor compared to Falwell's accomplishments.
Of those, Neff singled out Falwell's founding of the Moral Majority in 1979 as the successful mobilization of conservative Christian voters to the polls that no other religious leader before Falwell had achieved.
“Today there's a number of conservative Christian leaders who have a seat at the table, in the Republican Party in particular, and all of that can be traced to the influence of Jerry Falwell,” Neff said.
The question moving forward is who becomes the next charismatic evangelical leader to continue Falwell's religious and political dynasty.
Neff said the most influential person in that circle now is probably Focus on the Family Chairman James Dobson. But Dobson also has had heart ailments as he's aged.
Kellough and Neff said an aging generation of evangelists will soon turn to a younger generation for leadership.
“When the next dominant personality for one reason or another is no longer able to exercise that type of leadership, we'll see a power vacuum,” Neff said. “It will be interesting to see what would happen then.”
Daily Herald staff writer Ashok Selvam contributed to this report.
Be it moral issues, social evils or religious callings, the Rev. Jerry Falwell was never afraid to speak his mind.
For that reason alone, local watchers of Christian evangelism noted Falwell's death Tuesday as a landmark event.
Wheaton College Chaplain Stephen Kellough said Falwell's faith was something all evangelicals could agree with. Falwell's political positions and sometimes audacious comments on issues such as the civil rights movement and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were what pushed the gamut of evangelical belief, Kellough said.
“As far as Jerry Falwell spoke concerning the essential Gospel of Jesus Christ, he would be embraced by Evangelicals across the spectrum,” Kellough said. “But his participation in political issues is seen as especially controversial. He certainly represented one end of the spectrum there. He was not shy concerning his faith.”
Even those who counted Falwell as a personal friend, such as Willow Creek Community Church Founding Pastor Bill Hybels, felt the need to create some distance between the evangelist and the politician Tuesday.
Associated Press
“While we sometimes felt differently about how to approach many of the great challenges of our day, Dr. Falwell gave his life to his family, his church, his beloved university, and the country he sought to improve,” Hybels said in a written statement.
Falwell's political activity stood in stark contrast to Wheaton College alum Billy Graham, another evangelical icon of the same generation.
Graham has never treaded far into the political world, said David Neff, editor of Christianity Today, which Graham founded.
“With Jerry Falwell, he tried to attend to both a ministry, an educational institution and have a strong political influence,” Neff said. “It just may not be possible to do all of those things effectively at the same time. Dr. Falwell probably came as close as anyone could.”
Falwell's ministry efforts touched Chicago's suburbs, too. He planned, with the Southern Baptist Convention, to establish a church in Long Grove. It never materialized, but the failure was minor compared to Falwell's accomplishments.
Of those, Neff singled out Falwell's founding of the Moral Majority in 1979 as the successful mobilization of conservative Christian voters to the polls that no other religious leader before Falwell had achieved.
“Today there's a number of conservative Christian leaders who have a seat at the table, in the Republican Party in particular, and all of that can be traced to the influence of Jerry Falwell,” Neff said.
The question moving forward is who becomes the next charismatic evangelical leader to continue Falwell's religious and political dynasty.
Neff said the most influential person in that circle now is probably Focus on the Family Chairman James Dobson. But Dobson also has had heart ailments as he's aged.
Kellough and Neff said an aging generation of evangelists will soon turn to a younger generation for leadership.
“When the next dominant personality for one reason or another is no longer able to exercise that type of leadership, we'll see a power vacuum,” Neff said. “It will be interesting to see what would happen then.”
Daily Herald staff writer Ashok Selvam contributed to this report.
Monday
Death of a theater
Theater takes last bow
Wrecking crews demolish 79-year-old movie house in Lombard
By James Fuller and Kathryn Grondin
Daily Herald Staff Writers
At 2:50 p.m. the DuPage Theatre looked like a sick a woman with no friends.
It was 10 minutes until a demolition crew was set to pull the plug on her 79 years of existence, and no one was there to see her off.
Fans worked frantically behind the scenes Thursday to get the Illinois Supreme Court to intervene or a circuit court to halt the process because of asbestos fears.
Both attempts failed.
“We had to exhaust all of our appeals,” said Deborah Dynako, president of the Friends of the DuPage Theatre. “We’ve done everything we possibly could’ve done.”
Lombard Village Manager William Lichter confirmed that asbestos fibers were embedded in the roof shingles, but he said they posed no health hazards as precautions would be taken.
At the site, an open door on the Parkside Avenue end of the theater cast little light into what seemed to be a lifeless building. Yet, the neon lights of the marquee hinted that a faint pulse remained.
Then they came. Most people came simply to gawk at the death of a once local giant. Others were there to either cheer or grieve. All told, about 75 people turned out to see the theater’s last breaths.
“It makes me sad,” said Paula Weisserth, a Lombard native. Weisserth had both her first date and her first kiss at the movie house.
“There’s not one person in this town who’s not connected to the theater,” she said. “It’s a shame they couldn’t find a solution.”
It wasn’t for lack of effort. The village negotiated for three years with a developer on a plan to save part of the theater.
As recently as February, a compromise to save the facade and part of the building won a recommendation from Lombard’s plan commission.
But some village trustees’ lingering concerns about the proposal outweighed the advisory panel’s recommendation. They rejected the plan in favor of demolition.
“It’s an elephant whose time has come and gone,” Trustee Richard Tross said. “We gave it chance after chance after chance.”
Those thoughts were echoed by frequent passers-by sounding their horns and shouting, “Yeah! Tear it down!” all afternoon.
Outgoing Trustee Steve Sebby took a front-row seat to watch something he’s waited a long time to see.
“It’s a sad day for Lombard, but it’s a good day for Lombard,” Sebby said. “The new trustees can start with a clean slate now. And really, what are we losing?”
By 3:45 p.m. the only piece of the remaining building to be saved was free. Construction crews loaded the ticket booth onto a truck to deliver to the Lombard Historical Society.
Then the massive metal claw came to life as water hoses doused the building.
At 4:35 p.m. the claw descended on the marquee, ripping the faded, red DuPage letters off and casting them to the ground. Some applauded. Others simply left in defeat.
By 5 p.m. the marquee was gone, and any life left in the building was extinguished as the claw tore off one of the spires on the facade.
Today the demolition crew will return to finish the job, but the DuPage Theatre is already gone.
Wrecking crews demolish 79-year-old movie house in Lombard
By James Fuller and Kathryn Grondin
Daily Herald Staff Writers
At 2:50 p.m. the DuPage Theatre looked like a sick a woman with no friends.
It was 10 minutes until a demolition crew was set to pull the plug on her 79 years of existence, and no one was there to see her off.
Fans worked frantically behind the scenes Thursday to get the Illinois Supreme Court to intervene or a circuit court to halt the process because of asbestos fears.
Both attempts failed.
“We had to exhaust all of our appeals,” said Deborah Dynako, president of the Friends of the DuPage Theatre. “We’ve done everything we possibly could’ve done.”
Lombard Village Manager William Lichter confirmed that asbestos fibers were embedded in the roof shingles, but he said they posed no health hazards as precautions would be taken.
At the site, an open door on the Parkside Avenue end of the theater cast little light into what seemed to be a lifeless building. Yet, the neon lights of the marquee hinted that a faint pulse remained.
Then they came. Most people came simply to gawk at the death of a once local giant. Others were there to either cheer or grieve. All told, about 75 people turned out to see the theater’s last breaths.
“It makes me sad,” said Paula Weisserth, a Lombard native. Weisserth had both her first date and her first kiss at the movie house.
“There’s not one person in this town who’s not connected to the theater,” she said. “It’s a shame they couldn’t find a solution.”
It wasn’t for lack of effort. The village negotiated for three years with a developer on a plan to save part of the theater.
As recently as February, a compromise to save the facade and part of the building won a recommendation from Lombard’s plan commission.
But some village trustees’ lingering concerns about the proposal outweighed the advisory panel’s recommendation. They rejected the plan in favor of demolition.
“It’s an elephant whose time has come and gone,” Trustee Richard Tross said. “We gave it chance after chance after chance.”
Those thoughts were echoed by frequent passers-by sounding their horns and shouting, “Yeah! Tear it down!” all afternoon.
Outgoing Trustee Steve Sebby took a front-row seat to watch something he’s waited a long time to see.
“It’s a sad day for Lombard, but it’s a good day for Lombard,” Sebby said. “The new trustees can start with a clean slate now. And really, what are we losing?”
By 3:45 p.m. the only piece of the remaining building to be saved was free. Construction crews loaded the ticket booth onto a truck to deliver to the Lombard Historical Society.
Then the massive metal claw came to life as water hoses doused the building.
At 4:35 p.m. the claw descended on the marquee, ripping the faded, red DuPage letters off and casting them to the ground. Some applauded. Others simply left in defeat.
By 5 p.m. the marquee was gone, and any life left in the building was extinguished as the claw tore off one of the spires on the facade.
Today the demolition crew will return to finish the job, but the DuPage Theatre is already gone.
Tuesday
Two prayer days, two messages
Photo by Daily Herald Photographer Tanit Jarusan
James Fuller
Daily Herald Staff Writer
DuPage County’s main observance of the National Day of Prayer on Thursday adhered to a conservative Christian tone that, like last year, upset at least one group of observers.
Last year, radio host and occasional Fox News contributor Sandy Rios upset local Muslims when she referred to Allah as “a God of vengeance.”
This year, an overt disdain for homosexuality sparked disappointment from at least one local church leader.
An exhibit by the Illinois Family Institute greeted the 150 or so participants as they walked to their seats for an hour of prayers at Danada House near Wheaton.
The display provided information booklets opposing medical marijuana, gambling and civil unions for homosexual couples.
It was a theme played out at the podium when Peter LaBarbera delivered his prayer for marriages.
“Marriage is under assault on so many fronts in this nation that began, miraculously, as a Christian nation,” said LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth.
“Homosexual activists, joined by liberal churches who stray far from your word, work night and day to radically redefine marriage seeking to bless as holy that which you call an abomination,” he said.
While there was little reaction from the crowd, LaBarbera’s remarks worry some church leaders who welcome homosexuals.
“It’s unfortunate that a day designated by our nation as one for prayer, ostensibly for all people of faith, would seem to be focused seemingly exclusively on Christian prayer,” said Rev. Greg Schneck-Skiba, pastor of Naperville’s First Congregational United Church of Christ.
Schneck-Skiba attended a different observance at Benedictine University in Lisle featuring the Rev. Martin Marty. He said the Lisle gathering was Christian — but not divisive.
“What’s even more unfortunate is that a particular prayer offered in that setting would exclude and denigrate those many Christians who are of homosexual and other orientations who are seeking to be faithful Christians in their loving relationships with each other and all of God’s creation,” Schneck-Skiba said.
“I recognize that this is denied by people who oppose homosexuality,” he said. “But even so, that seems inappropriate in a context of a day of prayer focused on a nation of which all of us are citizens.”
Not all prayers during the Danada observance had political undertones.
Retired U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde, a staunch conservative, simply spoke of the beauty of living in America.
Hyde’s voice sounded strong despite delivering his prayer from a wheelchair. He was unable to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
“Let us give thanks for the freedom we enjoy in America,” Hyde said. “And in giving thanks for freedom, let us resolve to live our freedom nobly remembering, Lord, that freedom is not a measure of doing what we like, but rather having the right to do what we ought.”
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