Freedom Fest honoring 4 who have sacrificed

PROVO — They might not consider themselves heroes, but the work of four men toward greater freedom around the world has not gone unnoticed.

Each year, America's Freedom Festival at Provo presents awards to men and women who have been influential in helping others gain and keep freedom.

"I just think it's one of the best kept secrets of the festival," said Vicki Garbutt, who is in charge of the event at which the Freedom Awards are given. "It's what gets at the heart of what we talk about with freedom — celebrating the individuals who sacrifice for their own freedom and the freedom of others."

Pascal Moretti, Joseph Stobbe and Muhammad Yunus will be honored at a 6:30 p.m. gala tonight in the Wilkinson Center Ballroom at Brigham Young University.

An award also will be presented posthumously to the late U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith. It will be accepted by one of Smith's former fellow soldiers.

Although their stories vary — ranging from service in World War II to extending microcredit to poor villages in Bangladesh — they are all inspirational, Garbutt said.

Stobbe, a Utah native, said he is a little surprised by all of the hubbub related to the award dinner, but he'll be there Friday, even giving a five-minute speech.

"My children have been telling me it's a big deal; I haven't quite appreciated it before," he said. "It's getting to be more impressive all the time."

The veteran served in France during World War II and was seriously injured in the city of Metzervisse during fighting to oust the Nazi forces. The 23-year-old returned home, got married and spent his adult life as a physician.

But nearly 60 years later, in 2001, Stobbe returned to France, the same area where he once served. While there, he was injured again, this time in a car accident.

The local police chief, Moretti, learned about Stobbe's situation and gathered some villagers to visit the veteran in the hospital. After realizing Stobbe's role in his city's liberation and then seeing how few people knew about the history, Moretti put together a group to honor Stobbe and the other liberators of the small French town.

The group raised almost $200,000 and paid the travel costs of almost 50 veterans to Metzervisse for a celebration.

Stobbe and six family members traveled to France, enjoying parties, speeches, parades and other celebrations in various towns that honored the former soldiers.

"It is hard to explain how emotionally involved everybody was and how much we enjoyed it," Stobbe said during a phone interview from his Salt Lake City home.

Although the experience of war changed Stobbe's life, he said his story may have a slightly different impact on others.