Friends, Freedom, and Fallen Heroes

I cannot even begin to know the pain that each mother, each wife, and each child experiences when a son, a husband, a father is lost in this war.  How do you react when a car pulls up in your driveway and you receive notification that a loved one will not be coming home?  It gives me great pain and I tear up trying to wrap my brain around it, but I've been fortunate not to have faced this loss due to war.  My friends have not been so fortunate.

I have a number of friends who have children fighting in this war and their worry is great and their prayers are powerful.  I have a high school friend, Helene Hatzes Paci, whose son, Tony, has been fighting the war in Afghanistan. He lost his life on March 4th in Afghanistan.  I believe that Tony knew the risks when he decided to fight for our country, our freedoms, and the freedoms of all nations.  He made the greatest sacrifice so that others, all of us, complete strangers, and his children and family, could continue to enjoy the freedoms we hold dear.

When I look at this picture of Tony, I see Helene.  I see her smile and her eyes.  I have not seen Helene since high school - and that was 32 years ago, yet if you were to see her high school picture, you would see Tony.  We had a number of classes together and the one thing I remember most about Helene was her sense of humor. I'll bet Tony had that same sense of humor.

Life really is amazing when you think about it.  When you're in high school, you don't glance over to your classmates or your friends and think "I wonder what life holds in store for them?"  We all eventually have our crosses to bear.  But this is the ultimate loss - I believe - the loss of a child, for any reason.  Still, Tony had a dangerous mission and he did his job with courage.  He will not be forgotten.  He is a hero.

When I look back on the last 32 years of my life since I graduated from high school, I could never have believed the adventure that laid before me.  It has been a roller coaster, this life, and yet, while I dig my nails into the seat restraint, I pray that none of my children fall out.  I pray they hold on and take this ride with me up every mountain, down every river, and over every cliff.  So how do you continue the roller coaster ride when someone so close to your heart exits or falls off the ride we call life? With great inner turmoil and pain and grief beyond measure.  My heart breaks for Helene, Erica, Tony's & Erica's babies, and the extended family and friends.

Helene recently wrote on her Facebook page:

This past Saturday, Helene wrote:

I can't even begin to to understand the universe right now, but what I do know is that I am blessed to be surrounded by God"s love through every single family member and friend that has expressed their sorrow for me and my family. I love you all sooooo much

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We love you too, Helene.  We love Tony, Erica, and all those beautiful grandbabies too.  You are in our prayers and our deepest thoughts.