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Etched in Glass: The Legacy of Steve Ross

A film by Roger Lyons

This is not your typical Holocaust survivor story. It’s the real-life account of how one remarkable Polish man found a second life in America, dedicating himself to helping people. It’s the story of Steve Ross, who rose up from 5 horrific years in 10 concentration camps as a child and spent the rest of his life in the service of his adopted country, while searching for the American soldier who helped free him from “the gates of hell”.Steve and others tell us about his miraculous survival and his emigration to the United States, where he settled in the Boston area. We’ll introduce you to his first and oldest friend in America, now a retired surgeon, and find out how Steve coped with his first taste of American life.

We’ll trace his transformation from timid orphan to gutsy street worker to licensed psychologist. We’ll learn how Steve changed lives over and over again, by getting kids off the streets, away from crime and into the classroom. We’ll meet a man who was saved by Steve from a life of crime, prodded to get an education and became a successful attorney, who feels he owes his life to his mentor. Steve himself steadfastly worked his way through college to earn 3 degrees, so he could be an advocate and advisor to young, at-risk people who needed help most, and did so for over 40 years.

Perhaps, Steve’s most enduring accomplishment was the founding of the New England Holocaust Memorial. We’ll show you how it came about with the aid of former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn and led by the tenaciousness of Steve Ross. Despite initial opposition, the now-iconic memorial stands on Boston’s Freedom Trail to educate and enlighten thousands of visitors each week.

The film culminates in the emotional Veterans’ Day ceremony at Boston’s State House on November 11, 2012. Steve finally meets the family of the soldier who liberated him from Dachau after a 67-year search, thanks to an episode of “Unsolved Mysteries” found on You Tube by the granddaughter of the soldier.

“Etched in Glass: The Legacy of Steve Ross” is an amazing story of the union of 2 families, brought together by the good deed of a soldier who showed kindness to a teenage boy near death. This film is the story of survival, perseverance and hope.

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Roger Lyons, Independent Filmmaker

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We are grateful for the generous support of our sponsors:

National Endowments for the Arts
Massachusetts Cultural Council
Lowel Cultural Council
Cabot Family Charitable Trust
Liberty Mutual Foundation
City of Boston Arts and Culture