Find the Helpers: What 9/11 and Parkland Taught Me About Recovery, Purpose, and Hope (School Safety, Grief Recovery)

About Fred Guttenberg

Fred Guttenberg began his public life after the murder of his beautiful fourteen-year-old daughter Jaime in the Parkland Florida school shooting on Feb 14 2018. The day after the murder Fred decided to attend a public vigil. While there the mayor asked him to speak. His words shook a nation and he has not stopped since. Only four months prior to the murder of his daughter Freds brother Michael passed away in October 2017 from cancer related to his service in 9/11 in New York City. He was one of the original first responders at the World Trade Center with a team of doctors who got trapped in the WTC as it collapsed. Amazingly the room that they hid out in did not collapse and Michael and his team of physicians spent sixteen days at ground zero taking care of others. Following his involvement in these two distinctly American tragedies Fred has traveled the country talking about both events but also talking about perspective perseverance and resilience. He discusses pivotal moments in our lives and how we respond to those moments using his speech to inspire others. Prior to these events Fred Guttenbergs professional life included over a decade in sales and management with Johnson & Johnson followed by almost fifteen years as an entrepreneur having built a business including nineteen Dunkin Donuts. Fred and his wife Jennifer now spend time challenging elected officials to do more. They began a nonprofit organization dedicated to Jaimes life called Orange Ribbons for Jaime. He has been a regular on TV news programs and myriad online and print media. The nonprofit is now his full-time mission. Bradley Whitford is an American film and television actor. He has played White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman on the NBC television drama The West Wing Danny Tripp on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Dan Stark in the Fox police buddy-comedy The Good Guys Timothy Carter a character who was believed to be Red John in the CBS series The Mentalist and antagonist Eric Gordon in the film Billy Madison. Whitford was nominated for three consecutive Emmy Awards from 2001 to 2003 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role on The West Wing winning the award in 2001. This role has also garnered him three consecutive Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. He received a second Emmy Award in 2015 for his role in Transparent. In addition to acting Whiford is also a political writer and activist. He lives and works in Los Angeles.