Kudos from the Marotta family

To the Editor:
I read the paper weekly and get very discouraged at the amount of negative news and articles out there: drugs, crimes, murder, poverty, etc. I wanted to share some good news and give thanks to some terrific people in our community who were just wonderful in a very upsetting situation last Friday, Sept. 25.

I picked up two of my children at Shohola Elementary along with two of their friends and were heading to pick up my youngest child at Kids Play Today up on Route 6. Just outside Kids Play Today, the school bus was stopped, letting students off at the stop there. I slowed, came to a stop, and then was rear-ended pretty hard moments later.

I was very startled and concerned for the children's safety. Both cars pulled into the Kids Play Today parking lot. After checking with the kids quickly, Mrs. Rosie, of Kids Play Today, came out of her school and offered her assistance. "I got 'em," she repeated multiple times and she brought them into her school. She gave me "the look," and I knew she would take care of the children and their needs.

I needed some time to call the police and ambulance and sort things out. Anyone who has ever been in accident with children knows it is very upsetting. Mrs. Rosie and her staff were just fantastic in taking care of my children and their two friends, who do not even attend KPT. She fed them, calmed them, and made sure they were okay. She even took care of the gentleman who hit us, offering him the restroom and some comfort.

Next, the ambulance arrived and, to my surprise, one of the responders was my son's first-grade teacher from Shohola, Ms. Terri Kriel. I just saw her minutes earlier at the school for dismissal, and now she was at KPT as medical staff on the ambulance. She must have been like Clark Kent changing in the phone booth to get there so fast. She, along with her partner, were also wonderful. She provided great care to all the children and put me and the parents of the other children at ease. She checked them all out in a calming, professional manner.

These two women, Mrs. Rosie of Kids Play Today and Ms. Terri Kriel of Shohola Elementary, should be commended for their service and care they gave on that Friday afternoon. For them, it was just what they do each and everyday. But as a parent on the receiving end who just was in a wreck with four kids, I am extremely grateful.

I also want to thank Chief Carney of Shohola Police, Dave Ruby of Nationwide Insurance, Ken Muller of Muller's Autobody in Sparrowbush, N.Y., and the Shohola Volunteer Fire Department. They too did a fine job and were all very caring.

An experience like this can really impact you. I am very lucky that no one was seriously hurt. What I have thought about in the last 48 hours is how lucky I am to live in such a wonderful community with selfless heroes all around. I met several and saw them at their best on Friday.

With thanks,
Andrew Marotta
Port Jervis High School Principal

Milford resident