Robert James Minara graduated summa cum laude from John Jay College of Criminal Justice when he was 50. That was 21 years into a 25-year career with Ladder 25 and sixteen years into his career as the safety and security supervisor of St. Vincent’s Hospital in Harrison, NY. During the Vietnam war he was in the Navy aboard the USS Boston. He received the National Defense Service Medal, three Bronze Stars, a combat action ribbon and two more medals. Although the reference picture I used to paint his portrait shows him with dark hair, I believe it had turned snowy white by 9/11.