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Aug. 31st, 2008
Heroic Lives
Aug. 31st, 2008 06:03 pmSome of us, it seems, are bound to live heroic lives while others are destined, at best, to write about them.
My nephew Erik, who was a bright, personable, intelligent kid, but struggled to stay out of trouble long enough to graduate from high school, went on to serve (4) tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment and to be honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant.
Since his discharge, about eighteen months ago, he's been taking fire science classes in the California State system, has been certified as a firefighter and EMT, and has served as a volunteer firefighter, as a condition for future employment, in two fire departments in Washington State.
Two nights ago, I got a call from his mom in Benicia, California. Erik is presently traveling with a convoy of emergency responders on its way from the West Coast to staging areas in the Gulf States. They will be there in time to greet Hurricane Gustav when it makes landfall in Louisiana.
My nephew Erik, who was a bright, personable, intelligent kid, but struggled to stay out of trouble long enough to graduate from high school, went on to serve (4) tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment and to be honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant.
Since his discharge, about eighteen months ago, he's been taking fire science classes in the California State system, has been certified as a firefighter and EMT, and has served as a volunteer firefighter, as a condition for future employment, in two fire departments in Washington State.
Two nights ago, I got a call from his mom in Benicia, California. Erik is presently traveling with a convoy of emergency responders on its way from the West Coast to staging areas in the Gulf States. They will be there in time to greet Hurricane Gustav when it makes landfall in Louisiana.