Memorial Day

This Memorial Day our hearts are particularly heavy.  A few days ago I remember seeing a few articles pop up about these soldiers losing their lives from a unit at Ft. Campbell.  I couldn't shake the bad feeling I had about this news. Unfortunately my bad feeling turned out to be right but luckily it was not as bad as it could have been.     
    Yesterday morning our friend Tom's wife called us and said that Tom had been the only person to survive an IED blast in Afghanistan.  He was out on a foot patrol when his team discovered an IED. The IED went off killing everyone but him. They sent another team out to check for survivors and that team was also killed by another IED.  Tom is now in a hospital in Germany where he has received two surgeries to remove shrapnel from his neck and stomach.  From what we understand he has more shrapnel in his body and the blast burned off a good portion of skin from one of his legs.  He was standing only a few feet from where the blast went off and it is a true miracle that he survived. 
   The good news is that he should be transferred to a hospital stateside sometime this week where he is expected to endure about 5 months of recovery and rehab. He is one of the strongest guys I know and I know he can pull through this.

    This memorial day I ask you to honor all of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, but to especially pray  for the fallen soldiers from the 101st and their families.  Please pray that our friend Tom has a speedy recovery and please pray for his wife, kids and family.

Tom, his wife and son. His wife recently gave birth to a daughter who he has not met yet.

Tom and Dan getting ready to have some fun on New Years