I noted in my post yesterday that there are 4,000 families still grieving about their loved ones killed in Iraq. It's shocking to find those who have lost more than one, as chronicled in this piece in Details magazine:
Three A.M., a few nights before Christmas, 2004. The war in Iraq is approaching its second anniversary, and the conflict in Afghanistan is into year four. A soldier sits in a small suburban house. He is a baby-faced 21-year-old but has a look of exhaustion that can’t be concealed. He should feel safe here. But the young man has lost his ability to reason. He closes his eyes as if to tune out the chatter from the other people in the room, and when he opens them, he snaps. “The hajjis are coming!” he screams. “The hajjis are coming!”
To those around him it’s clear that Army Specialist Andrew Velez has been sucked into some dark corner of his mind. “They’re coming!” he repeats. “They’re coming!” Andrew stands up and runs around the house, turning off all the lights. A young woman is standing nearby, and Andrew ushers her into a bedroom, hollering at her to duck for cover. He drops to the floor and slides across the room on his stomach. At some point he produces a rifle, albeit an imaginary one, and squeezes the invisible trigger. “I’m not gonna die!” he shouts. “I’m not gonna die!” Then Andrew runs for the back door. The woman chases him. When she steps outside, Andrew pulls her to the ground to protect her from enemy fire. “I’m not gonna die!” he screams. “I’m coming home to see my babies!”
Read the rest. Utterly heartbreaking.
AH
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
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8 comments:
As a father, I can only imagine that father's pain at seeing two graves (one without a headstone thanks to the lawyers) but only one name on the Wall.
Just one of many terribly sad stories to come out of this war.
Love,
Dad
Not much to say except that nothing changes. As a 4th Infantry Division rifleman in the invasion of Normandy in 1944 I can attest to that. Good work, keep it up.
As a mom who's son was deployed to Iraq from Ft Lewis Wa. I thank you for your creating this site. Althought this was very hard to read at times I can now more then ever appreciate what Adam may be experiencing. May your life as a civilian be full and rewarding. I look forward to seeing your future works in print. You have a wonderful talent!
Cam
Just saw CNN Headlines News story about your story. You share so many moving, personal, heartbreaking stories here.
Who was it that said "war is hell"?
Anyway, you guys take care of one another over there.
http://OsiSpeaks.comv
Truly a heartbreaking story that leaves you pondering so many different points of view on this horrible situation. My heart goes out to all of those involved especially the children who are the ones who always suffer the most. I cannot begin to imagine how much pain this family has endured. My mind keeps going back to Andrew's widow. After reading this story I wondered to myself how she could impose such suffering on Andrew's father and sister with her silence, but then... She is a young mother of three who's husband killed himself. As a wife myself (though not a mother) I believe that failing marriage or not this would leave you more than just spinning. So my second thought was maybe her silence is the only thing keeping her going, keeping her sane. Just heartbreaking.
You said it best.
~P~
You said it best.
~P~
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