Dear Community Friends,
John King who is 20 years old and non-verbal, wandered away from his home near Breakneck Road on Aug. 20 and went missing. He was later rescued on that same day, after sustaining a broken leg and being immobilized in a secluded wooded area.
John’s story has brought our community together over the past couple weeks. The overwhelming amount of love and support for John has been more than inspirational.
John’s parent’s, Caroline and Dave invited me to meet with John at their home on Aug. 30, the day after he underwent orthopedic surgery to repair his broken leg at CHOP. John was in great spirits and is on the road to recovery. I was honored to sign his cast and was thrilled to present him with a Mayor’s Superhero Award Trophy as a small token of appreciation.
Unbeknownst to John, he is our real-life Mantua Township Superhero. His actions, albeit unintentional, were in-fact heroic. His story created unity, cohesion and optimism amongst us, and resonated throughout our community with superhuman-like strength. Whenever I’m in doubt, it’s the John Kings of this world who reenergize my spirit of positivity. It’s John King, our newfound friend and hero, whose real-life story puts life into total perspective. God bless, and get well soon, John.
Update: On Sept. 5, John’s mom reported that he’s encountering persistent leg pain post-surgery, but he still remains in good spirits. John is excitedly awaiting our Police in the Park event at Chestnut Branch Park on Sept. 19 at 5 p.m.
This past Sunday, Sept. 1 marked the three-year anniversary of when the tornado came through the area and caused devastation in parts of our community, and in neighboring Harrison Township and the Borough of Wenonah. No loss of life or serious injuries to those directly impacted was an absolute blessing, however neighboring local families lost their homes and properties were devastated by the high swirling winds.
I remember being on Mantua Boulevard and witnessing Committeeman John Legge’s house that narrowly dodged a direct hit along with the green houses next to Delaware Valley Florist that were completely wiped out. The roadway was overtaken by downed trees and wires, and I don’t think the Legge’s had a tree left standing on their property.
The moral of the story is that we overcame the adversity of this tragic event that blindsided our community. People from all walks of life came out of the woodwork to help and to bring us back to a state of normalcy in the aftermath. This is what we do in Mantua, and this is what we’ve always done in Mantua. We unite, we demonstrate resolve, we work hard, we overcome adversity, and we are one big family.
Let this be another reminder of who we are and what we stand for. Thank you everyone for your absolute greatness.
We were extremely saddened to learn of the recent passing of MTPD Retired-Sergeant Russ Lawrence, Badge 1504. Sgt. Lawrence passed away this past weekend. Please keep Sgt. Lawrence and his sons, Russ and Ray in your thoughts and prayers during this most difficult time.
On Sunday, Oct. 6 the Mantua VFW will be hosting its annual 5K “Running for Vets.” The 5K Run and 1 Mile Walk will start and finish at the VFW Post 7679 located at 8 New York Avenue directly across from the Mantua Township Municipal Complex. The event is rain or shine. You can pre-enter from now through October at www.linmarksports.com. Walk-up entry on the day of event (Oct. 6) is from 8:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. The race will start at 10 a.m.
The Township Committee and I want to wish our students, teachers and the entire school community a very safe and flourishing 2024-2025 school year.
Upcoming Township Meetings and Events:
- Saturday, Sept. 14 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. is the next Shredding Event at the Municipal Complex on Main Street for Mantua residents
On behalf of Deputy Mayor Pete Scirrotto, myself and the entire Township Committee – we look forward to continuing our service with honesty, integrity and trustful leadership.
Respectfully,
Mayor Robert T. Zimmerman, MAS
