Thank you for helping tell Holocaust survivors' stories

I would like to express my thanks to my friend Mike Couch and the staff of First Christian Church for inviting us to come and speak to their youth group about the Holocaust. It is a difficult topic to discuss and this was the first time we shared Dad's story with the public. His testimony to Stephen Spielberg's Shoah Foundation resulted in a four-hour video account. Those of us who have watched it find it difficult to turn off the tape once it starts. Our hat is off to Kyle Bostock of First Christian who edited the tape down to 35 minutes. Dad's harrowing survival experiences are etched in his memory; his crystalline recall of events created a compelling story and we didn't know if we could cut out material without detracting from the story. Kyle was up to the task and the edited tape was no less riveting than the unabridged one. Kyle and Mike worked hard to create a first rate visual experience.

This was a deeply personal and emotional talk for me to give. I'm sure the same applies for my colleague Mike Morgenstern who had his own family's tale of escape and survival to share. It is our deepest hope that in some small way we affected someone's life that evening.

I'm grateful to my wife Charlene who stubbornly encouraged my dad to contact Shoah and do the interview. She wanted to create a legacy for our kids. My dad is a shy man by nature and not used to the limelight. Doing this was a huge leap from his comfort zone.

I want to say Dad how much we love, honor and respect you. Not only did you survive the horror, but you became the "Go-to Guy" in the family. First your kids and now your grandchildren will learn about Grandpa's incredible tale of survival; your street smarts, quick thinking and good luck kept you alive when so many others perished.

Your greatest gift to us Dad and one we will work hard to pass on to others is not to take life for granted; to live each day to the fullest and to love, cherish and enjoy our family and friends. Finally, to leave this earth a better place for us having been here.

PAUL KRAMES

Sagle