Phyllis Sides: Missing teen's saga has many believing in guardian angels

By Phyllis Sides

Thursday, December 7, 2006 2:40 AM CST

If you don't believe in miracles or guardian angels, then Ben Maerzke's rescue last weekend should get you to start believing. The 13-year-old Kenosha resident was found in a deep hypothermic state, but safe Sunday after he had been missing for almost 10 hours while on a hunting trip in rural Kenosha County, a few miles south of Burlington.

He was found by two Antioch, Ill., firefighters at about 1:40 a.m. Sunday.

In an e-mail to Racine Fire Chief Steve Hansen, Racine Fire Bells member Sandy Derrick described an "awesome experience."

When the firefighters stopped by the Fire Bells' command station about 1:30 a.m., they were freezing, Derrick said. "We encouraged them to come in and sit down. Offered them socks, hoods and hand warmers.

"We sat and talked with them for probably 10 minutes. And we all, and individually, had come to grips with the fact that we truly believed that by this time the outcome would not be good. They left the truck and were told to go back to where the boys shirts and gloves had been found. They hadn't been gone from the truck more than 10-15 minutes and we heard `This is Antioch, we have an emergency.' Our minds went in different directions. Did they find one of the mentioned swamps, did they fall in or find the boy in the swamp? Then there was silence!" Maerzke's rescuers said he was lying in the snow and spoke to them as they approached him. Maerzke told them he was OK but terribly cold, Derrick said. The handwarmers the Fire Bells encouraged the firefighters to take earlier were put to good use, Derrick said. They were used to help warm Maerzke.

After hours of worry the searchers were relieved when the youngster was found, Derrick said.

"So I guess that is our Christmas miracle. What an experience because we all had resigned ourselves to the worst outcome."

Knit one, purl two The Lakeside Knitters isn't the only group in town making caps for the Save the Children campaign. The Junior Women's Club of Racine is also busy knitting and crocheting caps for Save the Children, according to Shirley Fentz.

Joan Suhr of Lakeside hopes other stitchers will be inspired to participate in the program. There's still time, if you have a spare moment. Action kits - complete with guidelines, patterns, and letter forms - are available for download at http://www.savethechildren.org/ or http://www.warmupamerica.com/ or call (800) 728-3843.

Again participating stitchers should send their caps and a letter to the president encouraging his support of funding for health programs for mothers and children in developing countries. The letters should be sent to: Knitters & Crocheters for Newborns: Caps to Capital, Save the Children, P.O. Box 950, Westport, CT 06881 by Jan. 2.

"We will be sending our caps in a little earlier than the Lakeside Knitters," Fentz said, "but I'm sure that all of them will be used. Our members were surprised to learn about the simple measures like the caps and education that can help save so many children."

Nominations sought The University of Wisconsin-Parkside is accepting nominations for community service awards in connection with its Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. With the theme "What Would Dr. King Do?", the eighth annual program takes place at 7 p.m. Jan. 19 in the university's Communication Arts Theatre. Nominations are being accepted by the UW-Parkside Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. The awards are given to individuals who have demonstrated King's attributes in their efforts to improve the lives of people living in southeastern Wisconsin.

To make a nomination, call the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs at (262) 595-2731. Nominations also can be made online at: http://www.uwp.edu/departments/multicultural.affairs awardform.cfm Educators' Hall Of Fame The Center for Community Partnership K-12 Education Office at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside is accepting nominations for the Southeastern Wisconsin Educators' Hall of Fame. Teachers and a friend of education will be honored during a dinner and ceremony at Carthage College in April.

Hall of Fame nomination forms are available from local school administrators or principals. They also are available by calling the Center for Community Partnership K-12 Education Office at (262) 595-2309. Completed forms must be submitted by Jan. 5. For more information, call Shannon McGuire at (262) 595-2309.

Phyllis Sides is a reporter for The Journal Times. This column, about the good stories of good people in Racine County, appears each week. She can be reached at (262) 631-1714 or by e-mail at: psides@journaltimes.com

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