By Mollee Francisco

One of the highlights of my job as a reporter is getting to know “the people.”

Each year, I interview hundreds of people on a myriad of topics. We talk about everything from the city and new developments to crazy fashion fads and heads carved out of butter.

But every year, the people that tend to stick out are those that share their lives and their very personal stories with me and in turn, allow me to share them with you, the reader.

So I got to thinking, if Barbara Walters can pick her most fascinating people of the year, why can’t I?  It took a while to narrow down my favorites but here they are, my Top 10 Most Fascinating People of 2007. I hope their stories touched and entertained you as much as they did me.

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Eddie “Mozkito” Cruz

“Broadcasting from your backyard”

Jan. 25

 

With a larger-than-life personality, Eddie “Mozkito” Cruz is a hard fellow not to like. Nestled in his roller chair, he scoots from his cases of CDs to the ringing phones to the computer, a virtual one-man radio machine.

Mozkito has brought a different flavor to Latin radio stations in the Twin Cities since arriving in Chaska a year ago to launch Radio La Picosa on AM 1530. The Chicago transplant broadcasts his live Spanglish show weekday afternoons and has quickly picked up listeners from across the metro.

They tune in for his witty and (sometimes) inappropriate banter as well as for the music – a selection of everything from reggaeton and meringue to salsa and even the occasional Eminem.

But to see him in live and action is to witness a man who truly loves his job. The ordinary person would be exhausted after only 15 minutes in Mozkito’s shoes, but even as five o’clock nears, instead of dinner and sitcoms, Mozkito is already thinking about tomorrow’s show.

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Annie Krapek

“A crowning moment”

May 17

 

I remember high school and I remember going to prom. What I don’t remember is thinking of taking someone to prom that wouldn’t ordinarily have had the chance to go.

I think few high schoolers in the midst of prom preparations would take the time to try to make the big dance special for someone else, but Annie Krapek and her boyfriend Josh Finch aren’t your average high school students.

Krapek and Finch, who weren’t originally planning to go to prom, decided to offer their escort services to a pair of special education students. The quartet had a great time and for their thoughtfulness, Krapek and Finch were named King and Queen – a fitting ending to the night if I do say so myself.

One of the special education student’s parents called me to tell me about this sweet story. She couldn’t have been happier that Krapek and Finch thought to make her daughter’s night so special and was touched that others responded in kind by crowning them. When I called Krapek to ask her what she thought about all the hoopla, true to form, she was humble about the whole experience.

Here’s hoping their story will inspire many more high school students to think of others, even during the busiest of times.

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Aubrey King

“Aubrey’s wish”

April 5

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 Abby Ostlie

“Gotta have heart”

May 31

 

Little kids aren’t supposed to have horrible medical problems like cancers and heart conditions. It’s just not fair.

Five-year-old Aubrey King has a brain tumor, which has required surgery and chemotherapy treatments. Three-year-old Abbie Ostlie was born with an underdeveloped heart. She’s already been through multiple surgeries and now awaits a new heart.

Instead of needles and doctors, these little girls should be worrying about going to school and playing with the neighbor kids. Unfortunately, regular trips to the doctor’s office are a way of life for them and their families.

But despite their situations, these girls don’t complain much. They are bright and cheerful and as normal as can be. King likes horses and Build-a-Bear stuffed animals. Ostlie likes Winnie-the-Pooh and Disney princesses.

Each has amazing families and friends that have bent over backwards to help them when the going gets tough. And in return, all they ask for is one of those award-winning smiles that only a little girl can give you.

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Hiltrud Steimel

“Have your cake and eat it too” July 5

 

If good gardeners have green thumbs, then Hiltrud Steimel would have a flour thumb. This German transplant knows how to make a good cake.

Steimel brought her family’s recipes for a handful of decadent cakes with her from the old country and is now sharing them with the world.

I was lucky enough to get a taste back in July and was one happy camper for the rest of the day. Steimel’s creations are rich – a sensory experience from start to finish. They are made at the Chaska Bakery with organic ingredients, purchased locally if possible.

This December, Steimel even organized a cake-for-the-troops event soliciting donations to make her cakes and mail them to Minnesota troops serving overseas. Hopefully the troops will enjoy a decadent little taste of home this holiday season.

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Joe and Amy Claeys

“Home at last”

July 26

 

This past July, soldier Joe Claeys returned to his family and his home in Bavaria Hills after two years in Iraq. I was on hand to snap photos as he came down that familiar neighborhood street, greeted by hundreds of tiny American flags and dozens of neighbors anxious to welcome him home. It was a touching sight.

Before I could even get back to the office, Joe’s wife Amy had left a message inviting me to return and talk to them. I couldn’t imagine them wanting to talk to me when Joe had only just arrived home. But Amy was so happy to have her husband home at last that she probably would have been willing to shout her happiness from the rooftops.

During the interview, both Joe and Amy were very candid about how difficult it was to be separated when they still had young kids to raise. Their time apart had been an eye-opening experience for both of them.

They learned a lot about themselves and their own strength of character and were now ready to share that knowledge as they set out to rebuild their family life together.

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Sheila Townsend

“Tumbling head over heels”

Aug. 30

 

Sheila Townsend knew her hike up the 14,000 foot Longs Peak in the Colorado Rocky Mountains would be difficult, but she could have never imagined that it would almost take her life.

On Aug. 19, Townsend woke before the crack of dawn to set out up the mountain. By lunch, she was enjoying the majestic view from the peak. As she made her way back down though, the situation changed drastically. A storm, a wrong turn and a slippery slope spelled disaster for Townsend, who took a 200-foot tumble down the mountainside.

The last hiker on the trail that day, the injured Townsend knew she was in for a long night. But despite a gash in her head and a broken ankle, she was able to drag herself to a crevice to seek shelter.

Townsend made it through the night’s frigid temperatures and was rescued the next morning and taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital.

Her amazing survival instinct in inspiring to be sure, but what touched me most about her story was the fact that it was a budding relationship back in Chaska that kept her going through the long night. It was proof to me that a woman in love can do anything she sets her mind to.

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David Bedford

“Quest for the best”

Sept. 13

 

As an apple breeder for the University of Minnesota’s Horticultural program, David Bedford has one of the most interesting jobs you’ll ever encounter. He samples thousands of apples each year, rating each as he tests their quality and consistency for consideration in future commercial releases.

He is so skilled at his job that he can tell you what a new apple will most likely taste like and can breed apples in a variety of non-traditional shapes and flavors.

Most of us probably can’t appreciate the decades of research that go into our favorite apples, but years from now, should the University have a new apple release, Bedford will most likely have been behind it.

The irony is that Bedford grew up hating apples thanks to a healthy diet of the mealy Red Delicious. Bedford now measures each new apple by how much better it is than that Red Delicious of his youth.

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Franklin Bahr

“Shooting World War II”

Sept. 13

 

Though more than a half century has passed since his stint in the South Pacific, for Franklin Bahr, World War II is still a vivid memory. Bahr was a part of the photographic squadron, a group dedicated to collecting images of the islands in the South Pacific. He guided his plane, the Kamikaze Miss, through 20 successful missions.

Today, Bahr is in the candy business. The 92-year-old still works part time, toting chocolate wherever he goes. And he isn’t looking to slow down any time soon.

Bahr spent the fall donning the old uniform – which still fits and looks pretty sharp - and sharing his memories with others through a series of lectures sponsored by the Carver County Historical Society. He brought with him some of the photographs his squadron collected during the war, including his own personal copies of an atomic bomb blast.

With the photos and his astonishing recall of the war, Bahr brought attendees back to 1945 with him for a shared experience few will likely forget. 

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Melissa Just

“Ride on”

Sept. 27

 

Melissa and Jon Just were still newlyweds when their lives were turned upside down by tragedy. Melissa was waiting at their church to lead a youth group with her husband when she found out that he had been in a horrible motorcycle accident. She rushed to the hospital, but before she could get there, Jon had already passed away.

Four years later, the now 24-year-old Melissa is still coping with her grief, but she has found new purpose in life and she owes much of the credit to her husband’s life.

Since April, Melissa has been in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on a church mission to help the people of the war-torn country. There, she has encountered other women that have lost their husbands well before their time and together they have worked on healing one another.

Melissa made a trip back to Minnesota this summer to attend the third annual Jon Just Get ‘Er Done Memorial Motorcycle Ride – an event she and Jon’s family started to commemorate his life and raise money for transportation for ministers in third world countries. This year, Melissa was hopeful that the thousands of dollars of donations they received would go to ministers she had already met in the DRC.

She willingly admits that this is probably not what she would have been doing with her life if Jon was still alive, but has found great value in the experience. From the moment she lost her husband, Melissa didn’t dwell on the why, but on the question of what she was supposed to do now. She found her purpose and in sharing her story, hopefully reminded us all to treasure the time we have with the ones that we love.

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Jordan Holm

“Like father, like daughter”

Oct. 18

 

It was like sitting across from a young Madonna when I met with 18-year-old Jordan Holm this fall. She walked into the coffee shop awash in stripes and sparkles and declared that she wanted to be a star.

Though many a young woman has had such a dream, Jordan is already well on her way. The daughter of Johnny Holm, local touring heavyweight, Jordan earned her spot as the sole female voice in the band and has been gracing the stage ever since.

Her affable personality and charisma make her instantly likable. We chatted about music. She admitted that she loves the sounds of Britney Spears and the Spice Girls.

And while dad may not be signaling the band to play “Hit me baby, one more time,” any time soon, Jordan is OK with that. She knows she’s got a lot of learning to do and is happy to do it with one of the best in the business.

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TELL US: Do you have a favorite story or profile from 2007?

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