John Klang: Hero

The term 'hero' is tossed around freely these days, but here's a guy who acted just like the FDNY men and women who perished in the 9/11 mess--he died trying to save others.

...friends and colleagues bade farewell Wednesday to Weston Schools Principal John Klang

...The sturdy school leader died Friday while wrestling with a 15-year-old student who brought a shotgun and a revolver through the same school doors the mourners entered Wednesday morning. A custodian pulled the shotgun from Eric Hainstock's hands, but he rushed into the school. Hainstock is accused of using the revolver to shoot Klang three times during the confrontation in a hallway.

...By most accounts, Klang was the perfect man to lead the School District that serves roughly 360 children from the neighboring farm towns, tucked into the hills and valleys of western Wisconsin. With his broad smile and square jaw, he reached, comforted and led the youngsters who looked up to him.

Milfred recounted how Klang sometimes would hear of a student without the means to buy proper athletic shoes. The principal would buy a pair himself and give them to the student, saying the shoes pinched his feet in order to spare the recipient's pride.

...Handwritten notes attached to the sign pointing travelers to Weston Schools referred to him as a hero and a protector.

Krystal Ragno simply wrote: "You're our guardian angel."

May God rest his soul.