Associated Press
GROVE CITY —
Firefighters were battling one of the biggest blazes ever in Grove City when Will Knecht arrived in time to see his family owned, 87-year-old business crumbling and tumbling to the ground.
Knecht, the company’s president, formed a circle with his teary-eyed employees at Wendell August Forge and prayed as plumes of smoke visible for miles drew hundreds of onlookers.
“It was like it was a spectator sport almost, but with people in tears, people moved by it,” Knecht said. “We had employees saying, ‘Will, what are we gonna do, what are we gonna do?’ I prayed from the bottom of my heart, ‘Lord, you know what’s going on, we don’t; we trust you, you take it from here.’ ”
Six months after the March 6 fire, Knecht said those prayers have been answered as his community, employees and customers — including the Pittsburgh Penguins pro hockey team — rallied to re-energize the business.
