To the Editor:

As always, I enjoyed the recent issue of The Altamont Enterprise, especially the article on the hurricane of 1938 [“Hurricane of 1938 caused catastrophic losses, emotionally as well as financially,” Sept. 26, 2024]

It was so very timely given that was when I was born and made headlines in the newspaper!

I thought you might enjoy the video put together by some wonderful people for the day I received my so undeserved philanthropist award from the United Way at RPI in June.

The beginning of the video relates to the ferocious storm and my arrival at Albany Med. I was born on Sept. 21, 1938 during the hurricane.

My father had to negotiate the turbulence, bringing me and obviously my mother from Rensselaer over the bridge to Albany Medical Center.

We got to the hospital and all the power was out.

It was a difficult journey for those medical folks to bring in a baby — and they did.

The newspapers were there and turned it into a story: Storm Baby of ’38.

That was my auspicious beginning to life.

W. Brian Barr

Guilderland

Editor’s note: W. Brian Barr is a retired social worker and substance-abuse counselor who served as associate deputy commissioner of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. He has been a leader in many community organizations and was named to the Philanthropy Hall of Fame by the United Way of the Capital Region in 2023, which made the video he references.