I’ve always had a tremendous respect for our armed forces and this country’s amazing military. That respect was instilled in me by my father, a Marine who was wounded in Vietnam. The most serious of his injuries, however, weren’t inflicted by guns, bombs, or bayonets but by the hell and atrocity of war itself.
He struggled valiently and silently for more than 30 years with those mental emotional wounds and despite not always being the man that he could’ve been, or wanted to be, he was the best father and husband possible under the circumstances.
My father grew tired of fighting the lingering demons and took his own life in November of last year.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve given appropriate recognition to this nation’s military holidays, usually with a call to the old man to thank him for his sacrifice. To be certain, Memorial Day will have a different meaning this year and in the years to come.
So here’s to the nation’s armed forces, and to anyone whose friend or love one made the ultimate sacrifice for this great nation.
A note to my dad below the fold… in case he still has internet access wherever he is.
Dad,
I didn’t know when I called you on Veterans Day last year that it would be our last time to talk. Maybe I should have. You sounded tired and beat down. We all knew something was wrong, but we didn’t know what we could do for you. I know that one of the hardest things for you was your kids growing up… I knew then I should’ve spent more time with you when I could have, but I was too busy doing my own thing. It seems silly in retrospect, doesn’t it?
I have the same regrets that everyone feels who loses someone so important to them. I wish I had told you more often how much you meant to me, how I owe pretty much every success in my life to you and Mom. There are no shortage of great memories… but who wouldn’t wish for more? You knew I loved you and respected you… but who wouldn’t want to tell you so just one more time? So, I guess, just in case you’re still keeping up with me on here like you used to…
Thank you for your sacrifices as a Marine. Thank you for your sacrifices as a parent. Thank you for always being there for me and I’m sorry that I couldn’t return the favor when you needed it the most. There are so many things that I’d give anything for you to be around to see, but that just wasn’t in the cards. I know you felt bad for some of the things that happened during your last few years, but we understand and I hope one day to have a fraction of the strength you needed to endure the years of nightmares and flashbacks. Everyone needs a hero and I’m sorry that it took your death for me to realize just how heroic you really were.
Rest In Peace, Daddo. We miss you and love you.
-Your #1 Son
