I didn't fall off my chair. I knew John was very politically active.

Our soldiers have paid a tragic price to free over 50 million people. In the long term, their sacrifice is going to change the world.

We did a lot of research. We looked at Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and Ohio, and we finally decided on Akron.... My family was rebuilt here; our lives were rebuilt here.

History will look back and say it was very worthwhile.

I didn't have any ties to Akron before moving here with my family and opening a business in 1995. I just fell in love with this place.

Most of my contact with John is at the block party we have every summer and our Christmas party. John is a good guy. He is always working on his house -- like a lot of people in the neighborhood.