In 1976 I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Through God's grace and my own proactive approach to managing this disease, I have been able to maintain an active lifestyle for which I am profoundly thankful!

I am often asked if my book "Dawning of a New Day" is the story of my life. Though it is true that I draw from my own personal experiences in telling the story, unlike the main character, my best friend and wife of over 50 years is still very much alive. Some similarities exist in that I do have a daughter who is a Clinical Psychologist.

Many residents living in retirement communities in various parts of the country are reading "Dawning of a New Day" in the form of a monthly chapter published in their respective newsletters. The question regarding fact or fiction is left for the reader to decide.

Humble Beginnings

I grew up on a small farm in the northern province of Holland. As a boy, I experienced first hand, what it was like living in Nazi occupied territory during World War II.

I've enjoyed starting a number of businesses in various fields and continue to be successful as an executive in business activities that have expanded to various parts of the United States.

The importance of all that success pales in comparison to the importance of family. Margaret and I have been blessed with six children, fourteen grandchildren and already a few great grandchildren. Yes, I have been blessed more richly then I would have dared to hope or pray for.

Faith, family and relationships are the values that count in life far more than the accumulation of material possessions. What I have achieved for myself, I regard as far less important than the opportunities I’m given to help others.

When reading either of my first two books you will notice that the five-year period between 1940 and 1945 significantly influenced my life.

The reasons, I believe, are two-fold. First, the years between the ages of ten and fifteen are probably the most important formative years of a human life. Second, the events of World War II not only molded and impacted my life; it largely shaped the world during the second half of the 20th century.

Those years forever ”burned“ into my being the values taught by my parents. Not taught in the classroom of routine daily living, but actually taught and demonstrated in the firestorm of life. My parents knew the risks of execution if they were discovered to hide a fellow human being. They demonstrated by their action that compliance with the First and Great commandment; to love God and love your fellow man, were matters of principles that they, even in the face of death, would never compromise. They demonstrated their unyielding commitment to values of loyalty and patriotism. For the rest of my life I will appreciate the values they taught me and admire the strength of character they demonstrated during their journey of life.

Finally, I've stood among the thousands of white marble crosses in the American Military Cemetery in Margraten, the Netherlands. Tears trickled down my cheeks as I read the name on a marker and thought about the sacrifice of that youthful individual and a million young men who gave their lives. Yes, ”Captain Roger Perkins“ and a million like him gave his life allowing me to live a life in freedom and peace. Allowing me to raise a family, have children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. I owe them a debt of gratitude I can never re-pay. But I will forever honor the memory of those who sacrificed their lives as well of those, including my parents, who so valiantly resisted the oppressive yoke of Hitler’s Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during the years 1940-1945.

Sid Baron

I have just completed my second book titled "The Way It Was." It is a book about my first 18 years growing up in wartime Holland. I'd be delighted in sending you a autographed copy. Just click here and a copy will be on its way. For more information about "The Way It Was," click World War 2 Stories .

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