|
It’s never easy to lose a child. My family and
I, as EMTs, have seen that many times.
We weren’t ready for how so many shared with us
our grief when our son, Ethan, laid down his
life. To us, we lost a son … one of whom we were
so proud, because we watched him grow up, do all
the things a son does, and then make us proud by
giving up little boy things to become a man
dedicated to service to his family, his home, his
country.
We can barely speak of our pride even now
without tears.
While nothing can assuage our personal pain, the
people of
North Idaho,
people from around this great nation and from
around the world have insisted that they are
grateful for our son’s sacrifice … for what he
worked so hard to accomplish on behalf of all of
us.
While the pain of losing a child rests hardest
on us, we can’t help but take pride in what
Ethan gave for us all.
That all of you stood beside us as our child
came home; that you showed him, and us, so much
gratitude and respect, doesn’t make the
heartache less, but that our grief is honestly
shared, and that Ethan didn’t give his life in
vain.
It would be easy to say “thank you for the
food,” thank you for being there and doing all
this community does when one of us suffers a
loss.
Such a thank you, though, would not come close
to telling you how grateful we are. All the best
that Ethan was isn’t ours alone. His sacrifice
belongs to all of us.
|
