I am grieving today with my fellow Pittsburghers over the loss of our Mayor, Bob O'Connor. If there is anything that could be said about this man, it is that he LOVED this city and gave his life to serving her.He was "the People's Mayor"--and loved nothing more than walking the streets downtown, mingling with citizens, or eating in a restaurant up on Forbes. He had huge dreams and ambitions for this city, to restore her to the glory days that she previously knew.
When he spoke about Pittsburgh, his whole face would light up. He had dreamed of being mayor of our city for most of his life. That dream finally came true last November, when on his third attempt he was elected mayor.
One reason he has been such a good mayor, is that he is truly a Pittsburgher. In his lifetime has worked in a steel mill and in the family restaurant, served over a decade on city council, and even became a Eucharistic minister of the Catholic church so that he could serve communion to residents in senior care centers. He initiated the "Redd Up" campaign to clean up our downtown area, and had a strategy to bring economic health back to Pittsburgh.
Mayor O'Connor did not expect to hold such a short term in office. When he went to the hospital in July with flu-like symptoms, he had no idea that he would be diagnosed with brain cancer and succumb so quickly to the illness.
Our whole city has been in prayer for the O'Connor family these past few weeks. I've often wondered where he stood with God, and prayed that He knew the Lord as his Savior. I know that he was a devout Catholic whose son is a priest. However, only God knows the heart of a man.
But I've learned so much from the example of Mayor O'Connor. I hope that I can have as much passion, joy and allegiance to the city of my King as Mayor O'Connor did for Pittsburgh. It has given me a new desire to "get back to Kingdom purposes" and lay aside the messy distractions that have been in my way.
I don't know how much time I will have on this earth, either. But at the end of my life, when I get to heaven, I want to hear "she was a loyal citizen of the King."
Redd up, yens. We've got Kingdom purposes to fulfill.
2 comments:
Hi Kiki:
I'd heard about the mayor, and that flags were flying at half staff there, on NPR just a bit ago. No mention was made of his faith, of course.
Don't know if I ever mentioned it, but I'm very fond of Pittsburgh. Mom and Dad lived there in the late 60's, at 7500 McKnight Road. One vivid memory I have is standing in a park in that area, atop a hill, listening to the 1964 Indy 500 when Eddie Sachs and Dave McDonald were killed. I was a big fan and that moment is still etched there.
Also, I recall one of the most delightful dinners ever, at a restaurant called La Monte (if I spelled it correctly) atop Mount Washington overlooking the Triangle. We were there as the sun went down and the lights came up.
Mom and Dad moved to Avalon for a couple years and then retired to a cabin just east of Mount Pleasant, in a place called Bear Rocks. In fact, their next door neighbor were the Barsotti family, who owned a big commercial bakery. I used to play Bocce at their house.
Lots of nice memories.
Bob,
I didn't realize you had Pittsburgh roots. McKnight is one of the main roads in our city, and where we do a lot of shopping.
And two of our students just got engaged at that restaurant overlooking the Point.
What a small world!!! It was cool to hear your memories of Pittsburgh.
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