Late yesterday evening, I sat down to watch this week's Extreme Makeover Home Edition. I knew this was the episode I'd been waiting for, the one featuring a soldier from Fort Hood.
It is always fun to see familiar places on TV and any time there is something special regarding the military it is especially touching with my husband deployed, but this show was celebrating one of the soldiers injured in the massacre at Fort Hood on November 5, 2009. Even though I am just a few miles away from post and my husband left post less than an hour before the shooting, there were details I didn't know. I didn't know 32 people were injured in addition to the 13 killed. I knew there were injuries, but so many? It was a devastating day, and I was really looking forward to watching this show that would perhaps help to rebuild some of the broken places in those who were hurt or lost someone that day.
As Jessica told the story of how she and Patrick met and fell in love, it was so similar to my story with Chad, and I realized how one bad day changed their story forever. They met by chance on vacation. We met when Chad came home for a weekend and we ran into each other thanks to mutual acquaintances. They conducted their relationship long distance after just a few weeks together. We conducted our relationship long distance after a few weekends. In less than a year, Patrick deployed. In just over a year, Chad deployed. Just listening to their story made me miss my husband and yet, be very thankful for all the great times we've shared. It just really hit home how lucky Chad and I have been; despite the multiple deployments and the heartbreak of separation after separation, we have always had each other and other than normal issues, we've always had our health.
The day of the shooting, everyone was calling their soldiers. For about 30 gut wrenching minutes, I couldn't reach Chad. Even though I "knew" he was supposed to be at home by the time the shooting started, things happen and he could have been anywhere. Luckily, he finally answered and had been home catching up on sleep after working 24 hours. He was very confused and I was relieved.
Jessica never did get through. She finally got a call telling her Patrick had been shot and likely wouldn't make it. She rushed to his side and her love gave him the strength to pull through. She stayed by him every minute. After months of grueling physical therapy and fighting the belief that he would never use his hands, arms, legs, he walked for the first time the day he proposed and danced at their wedding. Their love was tested from the get go and got stronger and stronger.
What an amazing love story in the face of tragedy. It was really a special episode showing all of the support for and from the military community. I was impressed by the strength of Jessica's commitment to her fiance knowing he might never be the same. As military wives, we face the knowledge that we are making a commitment to someone in the path of danger more often than most. We face numerous separations, fears, frustrations knowing that every knock on the door or phone call could be one bringing our world crashing around us. But none of us were prepared for it to happen here, on post, during reintegration for soldiers just coming back from a war zone. She could not have handled a challenging situation with more grace and is a testament to beautiful military wives everywhere.
I also was interested to hear about the program that Dan Wallrath started to help wounded soldiers have a home to call their own. I found an article about his charity, I am sure there are more, but here is a link to one: Operation Finally Home . We can't all make the grand gestures of ABC and CVS with their weekly affiliates, but maybe we can do something. Whether it is this organization or the USO or one of any of various charities that help soldiers and their families cope with the many challenges of this life, take a second and think about something you can do to make a difference.
This show helped one couple start a life together that they almost didn't get to lead. A house won't give them a marriage full of love and commitment, but their love and commitment did bring them a home to build a life in. We can't undo what the deranged soldier took from so many that day. We can only help those who are left behind to rebuild their lives and do our best to make sure another such tragedy never strikes again.
It is always fun to see familiar places on TV and any time there is something special regarding the military it is especially touching with my husband deployed, but this show was celebrating one of the soldiers injured in the massacre at Fort Hood on November 5, 2009. Even though I am just a few miles away from post and my husband left post less than an hour before the shooting, there were details I didn't know. I didn't know 32 people were injured in addition to the 13 killed. I knew there were injuries, but so many? It was a devastating day, and I was really looking forward to watching this show that would perhaps help to rebuild some of the broken places in those who were hurt or lost someone that day.
As Jessica told the story of how she and Patrick met and fell in love, it was so similar to my story with Chad, and I realized how one bad day changed their story forever. They met by chance on vacation. We met when Chad came home for a weekend and we ran into each other thanks to mutual acquaintances. They conducted their relationship long distance after just a few weeks together. We conducted our relationship long distance after a few weekends. In less than a year, Patrick deployed. In just over a year, Chad deployed. Just listening to their story made me miss my husband and yet, be very thankful for all the great times we've shared. It just really hit home how lucky Chad and I have been; despite the multiple deployments and the heartbreak of separation after separation, we have always had each other and other than normal issues, we've always had our health.
The day of the shooting, everyone was calling their soldiers. For about 30 gut wrenching minutes, I couldn't reach Chad. Even though I "knew" he was supposed to be at home by the time the shooting started, things happen and he could have been anywhere. Luckily, he finally answered and had been home catching up on sleep after working 24 hours. He was very confused and I was relieved.
Jessica never did get through. She finally got a call telling her Patrick had been shot and likely wouldn't make it. She rushed to his side and her love gave him the strength to pull through. She stayed by him every minute. After months of grueling physical therapy and fighting the belief that he would never use his hands, arms, legs, he walked for the first time the day he proposed and danced at their wedding. Their love was tested from the get go and got stronger and stronger.
What an amazing love story in the face of tragedy. It was really a special episode showing all of the support for and from the military community. I was impressed by the strength of Jessica's commitment to her fiance knowing he might never be the same. As military wives, we face the knowledge that we are making a commitment to someone in the path of danger more often than most. We face numerous separations, fears, frustrations knowing that every knock on the door or phone call could be one bringing our world crashing around us. But none of us were prepared for it to happen here, on post, during reintegration for soldiers just coming back from a war zone. She could not have handled a challenging situation with more grace and is a testament to beautiful military wives everywhere.
I also was interested to hear about the program that Dan Wallrath started to help wounded soldiers have a home to call their own. I found an article about his charity, I am sure there are more, but here is a link to one: Operation Finally Home . We can't all make the grand gestures of ABC and CVS with their weekly affiliates, but maybe we can do something. Whether it is this organization or the USO or one of any of various charities that help soldiers and their families cope with the many challenges of this life, take a second and think about something you can do to make a difference.
This show helped one couple start a life together that they almost didn't get to lead. A house won't give them a marriage full of love and commitment, but their love and commitment did bring them a home to build a life in. We can't undo what the deranged soldier took from so many that day. We can only help those who are left behind to rebuild their lives and do our best to make sure another such tragedy never strikes again.
No comments:
Post a Comment