Photo, friendship endures long past 9/11



Jay Rentz, yours truly and Bill Ruth in June 1991.

 The framed photo is one of my favorites and it is never far from sight.

It was taken outside Bill Ruth’s home in Wheaton, Md., where there was a mighty party going on that June in 1991.

A teacher, Bill had just returned from Desert Storm where he’d served as a helicopter pilot with the Maryland National Guard and his wife, Georgette, wanted to celebrate.

I wasn’t going to miss it and flew up from Florida.

Jay Rentz, another longtime pal and Washington D.C. detective who’s also in the photo, was there, too.

What a great weekend, a remembrance I cherish more than ever as years go by.

It was the last time I saw Bill alive.

He was killed on 9/11.


Read more Sunday in Mannix About Manatee on Bradenton.com.