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Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Alex Burr, 4, holds up his patriotic artwork he presented to Sunnyvale Public Safety Captain Chuck Eaneff.
Picture Power
A local 4-year-old expresses emotions in a drawing, sends letter to President Bush about attack
By Amy Jenkins
Four-year-old Alex Burr knows what happened Sept. 11 in New York and Washington, D.C., and he did something about it. The boy, who turned 4 last month and attends preschool at The Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center in Los Gatos, wanted to help the victims of the tragedy after his mother explained what happened, so he put his words into a picture and sent it to President Bush.
When Alex's mother, Shirley, turned on the television before taking him to school on Tuesday, she could not help but react, she says. Seeing all the images and his mother's face, Alex wondered what the accident and smoke were caused by, his mother says. "He is very loving and bright," Shirley explains. "He asked about what happened to our friends who work near the Pentagon." This is why she chose to inform her son before he learned about the incident from friends on the playground.
Although they don't watch the news every day and the preschool doesn't talk about recent events, Alex is kept informed about what is going on in the world, according to his mother. She and her husband took Alex to the candlelight vigil held in Sunnyvale on Friday night "to show him there are people protecting us and we don't have to be afraid," Shirley says.
At the vigil, Alex approached Sunnyvale police captain Chuck Eaneff, who was not in uniform but was on a cell phone, and gave him a copy of the picture he made for President Bush. The picture says "Please get better for Alex," on one side and "I love U.S.A.," with a picture of the American flag on the other. "This brought tears to the captain's eyes," Shirley says.
Photograph by Dori Fontaine
Alex Burr, 4, gives a picture he drew to Captain Chuck Eaneff of Sunnyvale Public Safety. The two first met at a candlelight vigil for the Sept. 11 tragedy held by the city on Sept. 14.
Afraid he hurt the captain's feelings, Alex drew another picture that says, "Thank you for keeping me safe," for the captain. According to Eaneff, they have arranged to meet again so Alex can give the picture to him.
Before the vigil, Eaneff gave K-9 unit officer Chris Fontaine the picture Alex drew for the president, and it was put in the window of the K9 unit car. "I told Alex I would put his picture up at police headquarters, but he wanted it put in the police car," Eaneff said. "He brought a tear to my eye when I saw his wonderful, colorful, red, white and blue artwork, given the tragedy that happened. Everyone was quite touched by his concern."
Mayor Jack Walker welcomed between 1,000 and 2,000 Sunnyvale residents to the candlelight vigil on Friday night from 7 to 8 p.m., held on the blocked off West Olive Street. Residents and public safety officers saluted the flag, observed a moment of silence, and the Boy Scouts led the attendees in singing "The Star-Spangled Banner." The majority of time involved community members sharing their feelings while others held lit candles provided by the city.
The picture of "I love U.S.A." Alex Burr sent to President Bush was his own idea. "When he asked what we could do to help, my husband and I made appointments to donate blood. It was odd because Alex came up with the picture idea himself," Shirley says. "I explained the event a little bit and reassured him he had a mommy and daddy to take care of him."
Alex is helping the best way any 4-year-old can, and he reacted to television images with concern. "It is sad because the two girls lost their daddy. There was a crash, and people are crying, but I'm drawing this picture to help," Alex said.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
