My great grandfather, Bernhuff came through Ellis Island from
Norway. In 1904, he won a gold medal in wrestling at the Olympic
games for the United States. In 2006, my grandfather and his
brothers returned to Norway to join in the centennial celebration
of his victory, where his achievement was commemorated with a
life-size statue in his hometown that acknowledged his American
identity. His achievement and strength were truly understood
around the world. My grandfather, Berger, inherited his father's
strength. He worked on New York's landmark Verrazano Bridge, and
although he endured an on-site accident during which a spike was
driven through his throat, he survived without benefit of even a
single aspirin. My grandfather overcame all odds. The bridge was
built. Today, I still grasp my family's legacy of heroic values.
Those values are "the bridge between dreaming and doing."