Fallen Map

Bump. Thank you to those whom have laid down their lives and those whom are willing to do so.

[Stephen]

Man, how the years roll by. Six years ago this coming June our hometown suffered its first (and to date only) casualty to Operation Enduring Freedom. Being within (somewhat) close proximity, the Westboro Baptist slime oozed their way into our midst. Fortunately, the Patriot Guard Riders also showed up in droves, ensuring that Brian's family was shielded from the hate these assclowns spew. As an aside, the soldier that attempted to save Brian, Jared Monti, was posthumously nominated for and received the Medal of Honor.

Admittedly I hadn't thought about him, his widow, or two young girls in almost a year. Last August some scumbag(s) broke into her house and stole who-knows-what. My BIL knows the family (he went to high school with them), so I put some money in his hands and asked him to make sure she received it as well as finding out if there was anything specfically they needed. For me it was a life lesson. While we should support our troops in any way we can, we also need to remember that they're leaving families behind to ensure our freedom, and those families need to be tended as well.