It was about two years ago when I learned Alex Ruoff was not from Spring Hill, Fla., but rather from the Cincinnati suburb of Hamilton, Ohio. It’s where I was born, too, and there was actually a minor earthquake there the day I was baptized. These are the mysterious ways in which the Lord works.

And then there are the ways that have affected the Ruoffs.

We talked that day about the family’s move to Florida, but I never got the whole story from him. In retrospect, I can understand why a private matter did not go public. Over time, he’s filled in all the blanks and we’ve learned of a truly remarkable person.