MEETING GEORGE RUMPLE
July 14, 2009

While I was at the dedication ceremony for The Mount Rushmore National Monument in 1991, I had the pleasure of meeting Sandy Borglum Fawcett (grand-niece of Gutzon Borglum) and her husband, Darryl Watson. After our initial meeting, we decided to visit the sites the following day.

We were at the Mount Rushmore Museum when I noticed an elderly man surrounded by and talking with people about Mount Rushmore. He had a t-shirt on emblazoned with the Mount Rushmore image on it.  I waited until he was free and Sandy and I approached him. I introduced us and asked if he knew my father, Luigi Del Bianco. He said, “Your father?” I replied yes and he paused, looked at me awhile and blurted out, “L Del, you can’t really be his daughter.”  He choked up and with that both Sandy and I also began to cry.  It was a very emotional moment for all of us and one that I will never forget! 

He proceeded to tell us how happy he was to meet Sandy and me. We talked a little longer, and I asked him if he could come again tomorrow so I could video tape him and have a conversation about Mount Rushmore and my father.  He said, “Of course I’ll be here.” I arrived early the next morning, and he was already waiting for me. I proceeded with this taped video. I was so happy and touched to run into George Rumple, such a special man.  What a great and unusual opportunity this was. He was alive, knew my father, called him “friend”.  As it turned out the event was more timely than I realized as George Rumple passed away not too long after that chance encounter.

-Gloria Del Bianco