Page 36 November 2016 A Community of Saints join the fun! Visit Us! Be a Saint for a day! Shadow one of our student ambassadors and see first-hand what it is like to be a Notre Dame Prep Saint. ndpsaints.org/visit Strengthening minds, bodies and souls 480-634-8281|9701 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 By Katie Mayer The tattoos on area resident Bruce Levitta’s arms say “NO KA OI” and “YOLO.” The first is a reference to how much Levitta loves surfing and the second is an acronym for “You only live once.” A phrase he knows all too well. After his 88-year-old father-in-law miraculously survived a near drowning in 2014, Levitta started journaling to document the incident. He ultimately compiled his keen observations and memories into a manuscript, which he blended with photos into a glossy hard stock portfolio entitled A Miracle in Room 3129 . “I was intrigued by this man, who was more or less dead and then found alive,” Levitta said. “He passed three months later and I read it at his funeral.” Levitta’s creation and tribute to his father-in-law not only touched his family, but also ultimately led him toward a new passion – the one, at the age of 71, he still embraces today. Levitta, a former Honolulu Police Department investigator and founding publisher of local one-man operation Camelback Corridor Magazine , started the personal biographical profile writing service, A Slice of Your Life, two years ago after he closed the magazine following a 25-year run. Since launching his service, Levitta has interviewed and captured stories such as an unlikely Vietnam War hero who saved his base from destruction, a World War II Army Air Corp veteran and decorated war hero, a girl who survived Leukemia, and the love story of two immigrants. “Once I sit down with an individual and hear their story, that is the most cathartic and beautiful two hours of my life,” Levitta said. People laugh. Some cry. And they open their hearts to Levitta as he asks thoughtful questions and records the sessions with a traditional tape recorder. “Usually it’s uncomfortable in the beginning because they have not done this before and they are opening up to a stranger and letting me in to their personal life,” Levitta said. But eventually, Levitta – a skilled interviewer from his days as a police investigator – gains the trust of his clients and they confide in him. Levitta is bespectacled, and with his goatee and tattoos, the cop part of him shines through right away, while his thoughtful questions and analysis reveal to the writer that he is at heart – even though he claims his skill is completely “street taught.” One of those who opened up to Levitta is longtime Arcadia business owner, Bruce Tager of Tager Optical, near Camelback Road and 32nd Street. Tager, a veteran, was Levitta’s first paying client and allowed Levitta to capture a snapshot of his life. “I guess I did it for the family and for the generations to come,” Tager said of telling his story. “It’s hard for even me to believe I went through what I went through.” Tager was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and did not want to go. He trained in communications center school to be a communication specialist, but was sent to Vietnam due to a paperwork snafu and then served as company clerk. Just three weeks before his scheduled departure from Vietnam and after Tager had turned in his Army-issued rifle, his base was attacked. He needed a weapon, but the munitions officer wouldn’t give him one because his separation papers were filled out. So, Tager grabbed three hand grenades from a box on the floor of the munitions room, ran up to the base’s front gate and tossed the grenades in various directions toward the Viet Cong, prompting them to retreat. “I’ve been fortunate to do stories on veterans,” Levitta said. Levitta’s own father, a 2nd Lieutenant in WWII and a Bronze Star recipient for combat heroism, inspired his passion for veterans, but Levitta did not get to know enough about him. “I wish I knew more about my Dad… I have his writings, but not enough to know his entire story.” Although Levitta’s clients work with him for many reasons, Levitta is clear that the purpose of A Slice of Your Life is to document stories for individuals and their families. It is also intentionally a hard copy publication, instead of a digital file that can be corrupted or inaccessible decades from now. “It is not for public consumption,” Levitta said. “It’s important to preserve the memories of a lifetime, in a fashion that can be saved for dozens of years, and that is through print.” He added, “The biography is something that a family member can stumble upon and read, or cry or smile with, when they feel they need to connect psychically with their loved one.” For more information or to reach Bruce Levitta, call 480-286-3008 or visit ASliceofYourLife.com. Preserving the past: Retired publisher captures stories for families Bruce Levitta (left) helps people tell their stories. One story he wishes he knew is that of his father, Murray (right), who was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. father-in-law not only touched his family, but also ultimately led him toward a new passion – the one, at the age of 71,