Dear Editor:
It is campaign season here in North Bergen complete with mudslinging and attack ads filling up our mailboxes and newspapers. It is often difficult to decipher what is true. In this sea of negativity, I would like to share a personal story of positive and caring leadership from the man I am proud to call mayor of my town.
In December 1984, my family suffered a devastating loss. Our 3 month old daughter passed away as a result of sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS. My husband and I were beside ourselves with grief, but it was our two boys, ages 6 and 4 respectively who suffered the most. For months during the pregnancy, they were so excited about having a baby sister, they already nicknamed her “princess.” After her birth, both boys proudly bragged about their baby sister watching her every move and development with such pride. We were devastated as family.
As family and neighbors gathered at our home to grieve and consol with us, we received a visit from an unexpected guest – then grammar school Principal Nick Sacco. It was seven years before he would become Mayor of North Bergen, his visit was not part of some campaign stop – instead his only connection to my family was the fact that my oldest son was a first grader in his school. Mayor Sacco introduced himself to my family offering his condolences. He also understood the grieving process and offered his personal support in helping my two boys through this terrible tragedy by offering to lobby or pull together whatever resources he could to assist. Mayor Sacco assured my husband and I that we were not alone in this process and the North Bergen community would be there for us.
We never asked Mayor Sacco for anything more than the kind words he shared with us as we grieved our loss – although the tragedy of losing a child lives with us forever, my resilient boys adjusted well and are proud alumni of the North Bergen School System. However, my family will never forget Mayor’s Sacco caring gesture, support and leadership at that moment of crisis. As resident of North Bergen for over 35 years, I think my story is similar to the experience of thousands of residents experience who truly appreciate and benefit from Mayor Sacco’s leadership and want his time as mayor to continue.
Sincerely,
Maria Ibrahim
North Bergen, New Jersey