Meet Your Neighbor – Walter

The Lives and Journeys Among Us

Walter grew up in Bay Ridge, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. Back then, Bay Ridge was full of families from all over the world—Scandinavian, Irish, Italian, and more. This gave Walter a chance to grow up around different cultures and ways of life. But even with all this color and community, his home life was tough.

Walter’s father came from Europe and believed in keeping his feelings inside. He rarely showed love in ways that felt warm or comforting. That made their relationship feel cold and distant. Walter described it as “strange.” His mother was Polish and Russian and believed that being strict was the best way to raise children. She thought discipline was how you showed you cared. Even though Walter didn’t always understand it back then, he later realized she was doing her best with what she knew.

He shared an important lesson from his family: “My parents never told us about the arthritis, alcoholism, and gastrointestinal issues that ran in our family. When I developed these problems, doctors spent years guessing. Only when I told my mother did she say, ‘Oh, we have that too.’ That secrecy made everything harder.” Walter urges families: “Don’t hide hereditary health problems. This knowledge could save your children’s lives. Doctors shouldn’t have to be detectives.”

As Walter grew older, the world around him became more complicated. In 1966, he was drafted into the Vietnam War. He didn’t choose to go—he had to. The war was a terrifying time. Walter saw violence, fear, and suffering all around him. What made it even worse was what happened when he came back home. Instead of being thanked for his service, people treated him badly. Some even called him a “baby killer,” blaming him for things he had no control over.

That experience hurt deeply. Walter said it gave him a “double dose of PTSD”—Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. First came the trauma of the war itself, and then came the pain of being rejected by the country he risked his life to serve. PTSD can make people feel constantly scared, sad, or angry. It can make everyday life very hard.

But Walter didn’t stop helping others. Many years later, during the attacks on September 11, 2001, Walter was working underground with the New York City subway system. He was there when the buildings fell. He helped people escape, even though the air was full of dust and danger. It was another terrifying moment in his life, but once again, he stepped up to do the right thing.

Sadly, the government didn’t offer much help afterward. Walter, like many others who helped during 9/11, got sick from breathing in the toxic dust. He tried to get help but had to fight through a lot of red tape and paperwork just to be heard. At one point, he even became homeless. “There is no compassion in it,” he said about the way the system treated him.

Walter’s story also includes powerful thoughts about the world and how we treat one another. He believes that many people in government forget about those who really need help. He sees that some leaders care more about power and money than about kindness and fairness. But he hasn’t lost hope.

One of Walter’s strongest beliefs is in respect. “What you do behind closed doors is nobody else’s business,” he says. He believes everyone should be free to live their lives without being judged. He wants people to be kind, understanding, and supportive of one another—especially those who are struggling.

Walter’s life has been full of hard lessons, but also incredible strength. He teaches us that even when things go wrong, we can still choose to help others, speak the truth, and stand up for what’s right. His message to young people is simple but powerful: Be kind. Be fair. And never stop caring about others.