Honoring the fallen
 

On this July 4th, I wanted to tell you guys about a pretty cool thing that has happened with me the past few weeks.

A soldier from my hometown of Pocatello, ID was killed in Iraq last month. He was the first from Pocatello to die in the war. As fate would have it, he had dated my wife's sister, my now sister-in-law, when they were both in high school in the late 90's.

A few days after he died, my sister in law told me about this guy, and said he used to always take my mother in law's video camera, and go make crazy videos with his friends. She still had the tapes, and asked me if I would compile some of them onto a DVD for his mom and dad to have. I was really excited to be able to do that for them.

I put a bit of the video I made on YouTube if you want to see it. The address is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScIiWY5sy_w

As I started watching the tapes, I got very depressed. It became clear to me that he was a natural born leader, a fun loving and good hearted person. We had truly lost one of the good guys.

I had chosen to run the Pocatello Marathon this year, since it's in my hometown, and I've always heard good things about it. I started training for it on May 1st, just one week before he died. As I made the DVD, it became clear that I had to do something to honor this man. Regardless of one's political views, the fact remains that he had put his name on a contract, vowing his life in defense of the United States of America, and regardless of whether one thinks war in Iraq is justified or not, his boots were on the ground there, and he died there.

I wrote a letter to his parents, along with the DVD, and in it I asked if I could run the Pocatello Marathon in his honor. A couple of days ago, I received a card from his mother, here's a little of what she said:

"Dear Shane
When your sister in law called and asked if she could bring some movie clips of my son, I was delighted. I already knew he was a nut for fun with his friends, but I also know one of the most dedicated, loyal & courageous young men and that is Blake. He was planning on running a marathon with my daughter, so I would be honored if you would run it for him in September. He loved running and in the military he was known for his iron man strength in running. If fact he was chosen by the Battalion Col. to carry the standard flag for the Battalion the morning they left for their 4 mi. run before they left for Iraq that day. I pray that you will feel his spirit and run like the wind!"

It's so important for us to remember that these men and women aren't just statistics, or blurbs on the news. They are real people, and someone out there loves them, and when they die, it causes real pain and grief. I'm really looking forward to this marathon, I imagine I'll be bawling like a baby the whole time.

I'm running the Pocatello Marathon in honor of Blake C. Stephens, of Pocatello, ID. Killed in action in Salman Pak, Iraq, May 8, 2007. He was 25 years old. Miles 1-25 will be for each year of his life. Mile 25-26.2 will be for his family.

Final Goodbye to Pocatello Soldier Blake Stephens

Happy 4th of July, and God Bless America!

You didn't have to make me cry while I'm home guarding my own fort alone, did you?

Nicely done.

That trumpet piece at the beginning is enough to bring a tear to one's eye.

Excellent. Thanks so much for the post.