Triumph From Tragedy

Sometime early this afternoon (July 27), President Bush will sign the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. His father will be there in the Rose Garden to savor the bittersweet taste of victory.

Adam's father, John, has turned the foulest deed, the assault, murder and mutilation of his young son, into a life of service to the nation that resulted in a bill that gets tough on sexual predators.

There is no way to calculate the number of children who have been saved by his efforts, but America's Most Wanted, his Fox Saturday night staple, has taken hundreds of dangerous criminals off the streets. But his work has extended beyond that to education, Amber alerts, and more.

I remember when his show was taken off Fox back in the 1990's, a move greeted by the collective complaints of law enforcement and politicians and your's truly in an editorial or two. It was eventually restored and went on to help capture hundreds more bad guys and gals.

I don't know if there can ever be closure for John Walsh, but this bill is a tribute to persistence and the difference one person can make in motivating many more to action.

By John Eggerton