(no subject)

[myexcite]

I just got back from Asheville, NC yesterday morning at about 1. We went up there because my best friend, my "big brother", my everything was killed in Iraq. CW3 Mitchell Kyle Carver, Jr. was shot down in a 58 helicopter and the gentleman flying with him died instantly. He died a few hours later from injuries caused by the crash. I grew up around him. My dad took care of him from the point he entered flight school about 11 years ago. Some of y'all may have met him before, as he was always at my house visiting with my dad and us. He died Friday, January 13th. I got the news at 12:25 am that night when my brother called me. I couldn't even speak. I couldn't do anything but cry. My brother and dad are completely torn apart. His funeral was in Asheville, NC as that is where he is originally from. Jeff and I drove up there Friday around lunch time and made it in time for the viewing (closed casket of course) which started at 5. There were so many people there, some drove just as long as we did, some even further. One couple drove 1700 miles to come. The whole community was there and the line was about 3 hours long when I jumped into it. I know it was longer than that for the rest of the people who showed up after I did. As soon as I got to his parents who were first in the line of the family they hugged me and started bawling. They told me how Mitch thought the world of us and how much he cared for my dad. Then I got to his brother, Aaron. Aaron remembered me, surprisingly, as we only met once when we went to Panama City Beach with us for a day. He wasn't even there really. He was so lost. His wife was crying so hard. Then I got to Mitch's girlfriend Victoria who has known me from the point I was born. Though we haven't seen eachother since I left Germany about 13 years ago, she treated me as if she has been around my whole life. I couldn't stand it anymore and just broke down. We finished through the line, it was very, very hard. Jeff couldn't even make it through the line. He made it about 2 1/2 hours and then had to leave to his car because he couldn't do it. Jeff and Mitch really connected, especially when it came to cars. The funeral was beautiful, if that's appropriate to say. The pallbearers were at the front of the precession line from the funeral home to the church. We were right behind the pallbearers and the hurst was right directly behind us. There was a helicopter flying above the hurst the entire time (started at the funeral home circling around until our departure, then circled the church until they had to leave for gas). The entire community was standing along the roads, including all army, navy, marine, police, fire dept., ems, emt, etc. 200 Harley's lined the roads and then the children from the schools holding flowers and some holding American Flags waving them as we drove by. The uniformed officers were all standing in salute and everyone else was holding flags. When we arrived at the church there was a fire truck with the ladder extended outward with a Giant American Flag hanging from the top of it. We all left our cars to watch the formation of my father and the rest of the pallbearers as they carried the casket from the hurst to the stand to be wheeled in. The coffin was of course draped with an American Flag. The JROTC from Mitch's highschool which he was a member of did the colors and were standing along side the sidewalks of the church. The 5-star General of the Army, the State Representative, and a letter from Donald Rumsfeld to the parents of Mitch accompanied the funeral service. Atop the casket was Mitch's Stetson. Next to it were all of the awards he was honored to have received and pictures of him. There was a slideshow of pictures of Mitch with his family and friends. There was a picture of him holding me when I was 8 years old and I had make up on and was dressed up because I used to be absolutely in love with him when I was younger. When I saw that I just broke down. The whole funeral was internationally televised for people around the country, the world, and for the soldiers who were in Iraq and couldn't be there for it. There were several speakers, including my father who was closer to Mitch than almost his family. The aunt of the soldier who fell alongside Mitch was there as well and as soon as the service was over, I went up to her and gave her a big hug and she cried to me about how much she appreciates our support for her family and his. Mitch was honored as he should have been. 2 scholarships have been founded in his name. His parents are both middle school teachers in the Asheville school system. It's been hard. I've lost so much weight since the 13th when I received that phone call. I'm sad to say that I'm annorexic right at this moment, but am seeing a doctor for help. I couldn't eat, as if I did, my nerves were so shot I would throw up (not purposely)...I tried to eat, but just couldn't. It was good seeing everyone that I haven't seen in years who I grew up around that were my dads "boy's" from the service. I couldn't be anymore proud my father and his friends and the rest of the soldiers. I respect the army so much now that I actually see what it does. I think the only person I have on my friends list is Wes who is in the service, and Heather's father who is gone to Iraq noq. Thank you so much for what you're doing. The fact that you put your life on the line for your friends, your enemies, your foes, and people you don't even know is the most respectable thing I could ever think of. I appreciate what you do so much more now and am so proud of you all. I couldn't be more proud. I'm glad my father is retiring in July of this year. His retirement was granted as he has been in the service for over 20 years. My father is my hero.

I love you Mitch. I will never forget about you and will never forget what you have done for me, my son, my family, my friends, the whole United States of America. Mitch, you are my hero. God Bless you Mitch...A TRUE HERO. I will see you again one day, WildCat. I will see you again.