Remembering

If you remember my post from 9/11 you'll recall that I wrote about remembering where I was when I found out what happened. I likened the situation to the way our parent's remember where they were when JFK was shot, and our grandparent's when Pearl Harbor was attacked. These are moments that shook the foundation of our nation. As a group we can all recall where we were, how we felt and the aftermath of the tragedy.

I also think that as individuals we all have personal moments like those I mentioned above. For me, it was October 2, 2004. I was a Junior in college, watching a football game at a bar when I saw that I had a missed call from my mom. I remember thinking that it was weird that she would be calling me on a Saturday morning because she knew that I'd be watching the game/drinking/not able to talk. I think deep down I knew something was wrong. I remember telling my friend that I needed to call her back because I knew something was wrong.

I stepped outside the bar to call her and as soon as I heard her voice my gut feeling was confirmed. She didn't even have to say it for me to know that something terrible had happened. When she spoke the words my heart started beating faster. I denied it. Immediately, I said, no.

"Beth, Jack was killed in Iraq."

No. No. No.

Jack was a friend from the neighborhood that I grew up with. We worked together. We hung out. We were friends. We grew up together.

He was the funniest kid I've ever met. He enlisted in the Army after high school. He had deployed to Iraq with the 1 CAV out of Ft. Hood, TX. He was shot and killed while working at a highway checkpoint outside Baghdad, Iraq. He was 21 years old. He was a lot of things to a lot of people, brother, son, nephew, friend.

It has been 6 years, and he is not forgotten. We will always remember you, Jack.

"Life is short, play hard!"

-SGT Jack T. Hennessey, USA
KIA 1 OCT 2004, Baghdad, Iraq