“The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnez'zar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.” (Daniel 4:33)
In the Boston media market, one of the biggest stories of the past few days has been the drunk driving arrest of Matt Amorello. A few nights ago, Amorello smashed his ‘99 Ford Explorer into two parked cars in Haverhill, then drove away. One of the wheels fell off his vehicle, but he kept driving. When the police arrested him he was quite drunk and what could be called “out of it”. The “mug shot” of Matt Amorello’s arrest this weekend was splashed all over the Boston area papers, and it’s got to be one of the most embarrassing photos of a public figure you could ever imagine.
Matt Amorello was the Chairman of the Mass. Turnpike Authority from 2002-2006. When I hear the name “Matt Amorello” I probably think of what almost every other Boston area resident thinks of:
1. The death of the woman from Jamaica Plain in mid-2006 when a giant ceiling tile in one of the “Big Dig” tunnels fell into her car and killed her. Matt Amorello, as Chairman of the Mass. Turnpike Authority was blamed for her death.
2. The dramatic firing of Matt Amorello by then Governor Mitt Romney a few days after the woman’s death in the tunnel.
3. The fact that Boston Herald columnist and WRKO talk show host Howie Carr incessantly makes fun of Matt Amorello, calling him “Fat Mat”.
What Amorello did a few nights ago in Haverhill is very serious...thankfully no one was killed. He certainly will have to be held accountable for his actions. But I’ve learned a lot in the past twenty-four hours about Matt Amorello that I was not aware of:
I did not realize he has been unemployed for the past four years. Numerous businesses classified him as “toxic” and would not even consider hiring him. Amorello tried for a big job as some sort of highway commissioner for the State of Illinois, but several from the Boston media contacted the “powers that be” in Illinois and told them they’d be crazy to hire Matt Amorello. That was the end of that.
Matt and his family lived in a beautiful home in Wenham. When he was Mass. Turnpike Authority Chairman he made well over $200,000 a year. (Prior to that, he had been a State Senator from the Worcester area.) For that family to lose that income and prestige was devastating. Matt’s wife was apparently very upset that he did not get another job and divorced him. (Matt has a 12-year-old son.)
The house went into foreclosure. Matt had to move out several months ago. He would spend a few days “visiting” with each of his siblings, but then spent much time sleeping in his car.
Who is the real Matt Amorello? What is he really like? I have never met him so I don’t know. Howie Carr says he was selfish and mean, firing people left and right, expecting to be treated like a king (apparently he DID insist on being addressed as “Mister Chairman” all the time) and having his subordinates waiting on him. One guy’s “job” was to buy him a frozen yogurt every afternoon. But, Emily Rooney of WGBH channel 2 says Amorello was always willing to come on her “Greater Boston” program and was a nice guy. She reminded viewers last night of the “Greater Boston” TV special she and Matt Amorello ran in 2006 in which he gave her a complete tour of the Big Dig. Jordan Levy, former Mass. Turnpike Authority Board Member backs up Emily Rooney’s description. Many friends and acquaintances of Amorello say he really was ill prepared and not qualified for the Mass. Turnpike Authority Chairmanship. This was a political appointment. At the time, the Governor was Republican Paul Cellucci. There were very few “big name” Republican politicians for him to appoint to important leadership positions. Had the Governor been a Democrat, Amorello would not remotely have been considered for the job. He probably thought he was living the American dream when he assumed that job, but it turned into a nightmare. How much of The Big Dig fiasco was Matt Amorello responsible for? Obviously, SOME, but the fact is the defective ceiling tiles such as the one that killed the Jamaica Plain woman were installed three years prior to him assuming the Chairmanship.
The above Scripture verse is about Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar. He literally went crazy for seven years as a judgment from God. Later, he regained his sanity and was returned to the throne. Matt Amorello has “hit bottom” as they say in Recovery programs. I hope he will get the help he needs, that there will be redemption, and that he will then be able to hold his head up and go out helping others.
Right now Matt Amorello needs our prayers.
EMMYS 1970: My World...and Welcome To It
1 year ago
2 comments:
See the kind of damage people can do to your reputation after one mistake? Why is society like that? A man should be allowed a job. This is why, on a seemingly unrelated but not exactly note, I'm against the sex offender registry. Same idea. We treat people like Bill Buckner after that grounder; shame them out of our lives and who cares what happens to them.
'who cares what happens to them.'
Well it was battered and scarred,
And the auctioneer felt it was hardly worth his while,
To waste much time on the old violin but he held it up with a smile,
"Well it sure ain't much but it's all we got left I guess we ought to sell it too,
Oh, now who'll start the bid on this old violin?
Just one more and we'll be through."
And then he cried "One give me one dollar,
Who'll make it two only two dollars who'll make it three,
Three dollars twice now that's a good price,
Now who's gonna bid for me?
Raise up your hand now don't wait any longer the auctions about to end,
Who's got four, just one dollar more to bid on this old violin?"
Well, the air was hot and the people stood around as the sun was setting low,
From the back of the crowd a gray haired man,
Came forward and picked up the bow,
He wiped the dust from the old violin, then he tightened up the strings...
And then he played out a melody pure and sweet, sweeter than the angels sing,
And then the music stopped and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low, he said now what am I bid,
For this old violin and he held it up with a bow.
And then he cried out "One give me one thousand,
Who'll make it two only two thousand who'll make it three,
Three thousand twice you know that's a good price,
Come on who's gonna bid for me?"
And the people cried out what made the change we don't understand,
Then the auctioneer stopped and he said with a smile,
"It was the touch of the Master's hand."
You know there's many a man with his life out of tune,
Battered and scared with sin and he's auctioned cheap to a thankless world much like that old violin,
Oh, but then the Master comes,
And that old foolish crowd they never understand,
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought...
Just by one touch of the Masters hand.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
2 Corinthians 5:17
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