From: Cissell, Brian A.
Sent: Friday, July 14, 2006, 7:10 a.m.
Subject: WHAT A DAY!All, I tell you, you can never predict what the day will bring. Some days are rough, some are odd, some good & then there are some that you will never forget. Yesterday was one of those days that I will never forget as long as I live. … What happened to me yesterday outdoes all of the photos I have sent and all the stories I have told to you about my experiences over here.
The day started off as any other, planning the mission, briefing it, and heading out the gate. It was about 120 degrees and we had been on mission for about 3 hours. Everybody was miserable and no one in the community was cooperating. It was just a plain old bad day. The kids were the usual, always there to get a toy or candy. I was not in the mood that day to be pleasant, so I separated myself from the group passing out the gifts and just pulled rear security.
I even told kids to keep away, but this one child who appeared to have Down syndrome just kept watching me. Every time I moved, he moved. He was literally like my shadow. I pointed to the guys giving out gifts and told him to go to them and he shook his head no. I just looked at him like what do you want.
Now here is the part that just broke me down. He slowly walked over, looked up at me, stuck out his hand and said, in English, “Thank you for making me safe!”
I didn’t know what to say. My words just stuck in my throat. All I could do was smile and do my best to keep it together. He wouldn’t even let go of my hand. He just kept looking up at me and shaking my hand. I mean what do you do? It was absolutely the best thing that could have happened to me on that day or even on my whole tour over here, totally unbelievable.
I didn’t know it at the time, but one of the other guys had a camera and caught the moment. During de-brief the unit was showing slides on the projector for the day’s mission and this photo popped up. I lost it and I had to walk out of the room. It took me several minutes to shake it off. Unbelievable!! Remember this picture/moment every time the news tells you about all the bad going on over here! We are absolutely making a difference, even if it is only one step at a time!!! I hope all of my last 15+ days go this way. See you all in August. WOW!!!!
Courier Journal Louisville, KY
h/t: Bandit36
These stories have to be shared. Our soldiers are the most compassionate, caring, wonderful people and this is just more proof of that!
Dang it! Anna.
If I could just get my eyes to quit leaking, I might be able to finish reading this post!
I put a somber one up last night that I found at Section Seven.
Ridin’ Weekend
So What’s Everybody Talking About?
September 29 – October 1, 2006
Just link and trackback to this post. Nothing to it but to do it.
Excellent find. Floriduh kudos to you.
Fall allergies are just the worst, aren’t they Gawfer?
I’ll be by to check out your post ASAP.
Thanks for the link, Beth! I just love this story!
Thank you, Shadows!
Another tear jerker! Anna, where do you find these gems? Thanks!
I get lucky sometimes, Pam! The first one in email and the second swiped from Bandit36! I just have to get the good news out there, too!
Awesome story
Yes, I liked it, too. And it says to me, that angels come to us in many different ways, but always just when we need them.
Just awesome. American soldiers always trying to do good. Offering shivering defeated Hitler Jungen children candy bars during WWII, to Operation Little Vittles during the Berlin Airlift, all the way to this. Wow.
These soldiers are awesome. I have just put up another post about our soldiers and how they were the grassroots effort that became Operation Iraqi Children. They started rebuilding the schools and asking their family and friends to send school supplies!
Those who would call our soldiers evil and warmongers are blinded by their hatred and cannot see the compassion and love of humanity right before their eyes!
All I hear about right now from the LA Times, 60 Minutes, and Meet the Press is negativity, the NIE, Woodward….*sigh*
I just don’t get it. Isn’t the Left supposed to be all for humanitarian causes? It’s in our best interest and in the interest of the Iraqi people that we succeed. So what’s so hard to understand here? Is America a paper tiger after all? Have we lost the ability to endure losses and see the good that arises out of the painful sacrifices?
Apparently there are many, Word, who do not see anything positive or good and probably never will. They have so much hatred that they can’t see that it has been the soldiers who have asked their own families to send school supplies, shoes, clothes and toys because they see these children and they truly want to make their lives better! And it is from their initiative that Operation Iraqi Children and other programs have arisen to take care of the needs of children in Iraq.
It is so disheartening, but we can’t let them get us down, Word. We have to keep fighting the ‘good fight’ and WIN!
How wonderful. Now if I could just not cry everytime I see that picture!
I hear you, Oddybobo! The looks on their faces are just priceless!
[...] For the touching story behind this picture, please visit A Rose by Any Other Name. And another one that is just as poignant. I dare you to try reading both posts without a hanky nearby. [...]
Thank you Kyle! I love your description! I certainly needed a hanky when I read them the first time!
tracked you here — and this one needs to be shouted from the rooftops. Thanks. http://cuppapolitics.blogspot.com/2006/10/thank-you-for-making-me-safe.html
Thank you Budgie! I love that story too. You never know when an angel will cross your path!