[Ed. Note: the writer of this piece is not a resident of West New York, NJ, but does live in Hudson County. Dr. Roque has been treating the writer for nearly ten years.]
On Wednesday, May 11, 2011, the town of West New York, New Jersey went to the polls. Although being a Hudson County town, meaning there will always be claims of impropriety in the voting and results, there can be no question: Dr. Felix E. Roque and his team managed to win by a landslide. Not a narrow margin, mind you, but by a whole lot of votes. Each of the members of Dr. Roque's team won by a landslide, leaving no question that the town had indeed had more than enough of the former administration.
Dr. Roque is a healer. Not just because he is a doctor, and not just because he is my doctor. Colonel Roque is still a member of the United States Military. How he has spent his summer vacation is not the way most successful doctors do. Usually around June, he will change his schedule such that Sundays, he will fly out of Newark to San Antonio, Texas where he will begin treating military members who are returning from Afghanistan or Iraq, or any other location in which our military still maintains a presence, and can come under fire. As explained to me, these members of the military frequently return home wearing masks.
I was advised that the masks are for one of two major reasons. In the first case, they need the mask to keep their medication as close to their facial skin as possible, until they reach a fully qualified medical facility. In the second case, they wear a mask because they do not have enough of a face left, and need to remain covered until they reach a facility in which they can be properly treated.
So, during the week, until sometime on Friday, Dr. Roque spends his time healing those members of the military for whom he can provide healing, or get that healing begun, so that he can then pass it off to other qualified medical staff, to continue the process.
Then sometime on a Friday, Dr. Roque flies back to New Jersey, at which time he begins treating - and doing surgery -- on his own patients.
Again on Sunday, he repeats the entire process until Friday, when he again returns to Jersey. By September, Dr. Roque returns to his normal schedule.
Clearly, Dr. Roque -- now Mayor Roque -- will not continue this schedule, as he has an additional item on his schedule: Healing the Town of West New York!
Even if Doctor, now Mayor, Roque were not my own doctor, having read this portion of his curriculum vitae, or resume, I would be proud to know that this is the new Mayor of West New York, NJ.
After years of mismanagement and -- as some have said -- other administrative problems -- the Town of West New York needs, more than anything else; more than just a new Mayor; West New York needs a Healer!
Welcome to Town Hall, Dr. " er, uh " Mayor Roque. If you can provide the healing to the town that you have provided to your patients, West New York will enjoy a four-year period of healthy leadership.
West New York has voted in, what they needed more than anything else:
A HEALER!