(no subject)
Today I recieved word that my cousin, Charlie was killed in Afghanistan. He was an Airborne Ranger and Linguist travelling by convoy that fell victim to a roadside bombing. My father called & told me the news.
I haven't seen him in several years, since before he was married. The last time I spent any time with him was when our families got together for a Thanksgiving dinner at his parents' house. I remember we watched Apollo 13, and that it was a fairly new movie at the time.
I grew up with Charlie. He was a year older than I, and his brother a year younger. We spent at least part of each holiday together at our grandparent's house, always sitting at the "kid's table" in the living room for family dinners. The "kid's table" was, of course, infinitely more fun due to the presence of more antics and less stuffy adult conversation.
When Charlie was asked what he wanted to have sent to him in packages, all he asked for was pencils. He said that every time he went into a new town or village, the kids there would ask for a pencil when they saw that he had one, so he wanted more he could give away.
My father said they weren't given a lot of details. He's never been able to tell his family exactly where in Afghanistan he was. They don't know when he'll be brought back to the US, so I don't have any idea what funeral arrangements will be made yet.
This is a tough one for me. A newly married man I grew up with will never see the age of 30. His young wife is a widow, and I cannot imagine what could possibly console her. He was an Airborne Ranger, and that is exactly the position my own husband is now pursuing. I am just very sad, and I don't know what else to say...
I haven't seen him in several years, since before he was married. The last time I spent any time with him was when our families got together for a Thanksgiving dinner at his parents' house. I remember we watched Apollo 13, and that it was a fairly new movie at the time.
I grew up with Charlie. He was a year older than I, and his brother a year younger. We spent at least part of each holiday together at our grandparent's house, always sitting at the "kid's table" in the living room for family dinners. The "kid's table" was, of course, infinitely more fun due to the presence of more antics and less stuffy adult conversation.
When Charlie was asked what he wanted to have sent to him in packages, all he asked for was pencils. He said that every time he went into a new town or village, the kids there would ask for a pencil when they saw that he had one, so he wanted more he could give away.
My father said they weren't given a lot of details. He's never been able to tell his family exactly where in Afghanistan he was. They don't know when he'll be brought back to the US, so I don't have any idea what funeral arrangements will be made yet.
This is a tough one for me. A newly married man I grew up with will never see the age of 30. His young wife is a widow, and I cannot imagine what could possibly console her. He was an Airborne Ranger, and that is exactly the position my own husband is now pursuing. I am just very sad, and I don't know what else to say...