Today is a special day, set apart to remember the heroes who gave their lives for our country. I was blessed to have known such a hero. I was young, yes... but I still remember him. Little Billy Meeuwsen. His mother and my mother were good friends and she took care of me while my mom was at work. I remember playing Operation with him. I remember chasing and teasing him. Little did I know he would become such a brave, heroic man who gave his life while serving our country.
I remember my mom calling eighteen months ago to tell me he was killed in Iraq. He was only 24. I remember being in complete and utter shock that this could happen to someone I knew. I soon found out that he had married his wife Lauren just before deploying, only four months earlier. I felt dizzy, agonizing pain for his family and thought about how easily I could've been in Lauren's place. Every time Adam was on a trip to or from Iraq, a part of me cringed when the doorbell rang. Especially if he wasn't able to contact me recently. I would stay up late at night, hoping and praying that he was safe. I couldn't even begin to imagine what my life would be without him.
For Lauren, this is her reality everyday. Although her husband that she had dreams of starting a life with is gone, she takes comfort that he is at peace in heaven... smiling down on her. I remember seeing her at his funeral, her eyes glazed in shock and her smile soft as she thanked me for coming. I was pregnant with Gavin and she smiled when she saw my tummy, placing her hand gently on it. I immediately felt sad, thinking about how much she would've wanted to have a baby with her husband too.
I would love for you all to look through the website that Lauren created for Bill. It is SO inspiring and gives an even deeper meaning to "Memorial Day." If you know someone who is in the service, thank them for what they do. Even though being married to someone in the military can be difficult and scary, it filled my heart with the greatest sense of honor and pride to know that my husband was making those sacrifices to serve our country. And I can't think of a more rewarding job than that.
1 comment:
I went to the website. I couldn't help but cry most of the time I was looking through it. A true hero indeed! What a sweet memorial site...his family and friends will always have a place to go and give tribute to him. That is really special. Thanks for sharing this story.
Post a Comment