I remember reading about war in my history and political science classes in college. Books like the Savage Wars of Peace that made me think this is all so silly. Silly has now turned into ridiculous.
Greg called me tonight to tell me an interview he did with an EMT from New York who was one of the first to respond to 9/11. It's the first time Greg has ever met anyone with a direct connection to 9/11. It reminds me of the first time I ever met someone directly connected to the terrorist attacks and the handfuls of others whose lives have been touched by this war.
There is an organization called New York Says Thank You. It was created by Jeff Parness. He lost his business partner on 9-11. Now Parness along with hundreds of firefighters from New York pick a city each September that's been hit by disaster. They spend a week in town helping wherever they can. Basically, they give back to America for all the support America gave them after 9/11. On the last day, which is usually 9/11 they hold a remembrance ceremony.
(For more on the group Click Here).
In 2006, they picked Degonia Springs. It's a tiny town about 30 minutes from Evansville. The city lost a family and an entire church during the Nov. 5th, 2005 tornado that killed 25 people. The firefighters came to town to help rebuild the church. I spent the weekend covering the event. On Saturday Sarah Gentry (aka Sarah Clark) and I shot a story about the rebuilding along with a softball game the men had with the Boonville Girls Softball team.
It was an excellent story and a very fun evening. It was a blast getting to know the guys, partly because they had been drinking all day, so when it came time for our live shot at 9, a few of them didn't realize we were on the air and made fools out of themselves during my story, making bunny ears and faces behind me while I read the intro to my story. It was a priceless live shot and a priceless moment.
The next day they held their September 11th ceremony. It was the 5th anniversary. There are few things more moving than remembering that day with people who actually lost their friends, family and coworkers.
I kept in touch with a few by email, but have since lost their addresses. I do have pictures they sent.
This is Kevin Wacha at Ground Zero September 12, 2001. He was one of the firefighters I met that weekend.
Those guys were the first I did stories with whose lives have been turned around due to war. Now, I can't keep count of the stories I've done with soldiers serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. Families of soldiers and Marines who have died in war. 99 percent joined the armed forces because of 9/11.
The most touching was James Brown who died October 2006. He was a 19 year old Marine from a tiny Indiana town in Gibson County. He joined because his best friend was already serving with the Army. When I went to speak with his best friend's parents about the death, I spoke with Brown's best friend too, by phone while he was serving in Iraq, the same place that took his friends life.
Brown's death was the third or fourth war story I'd done that month. As Lesli and I were heading back to Evansville, we went past the town square where three city employees were tying yellow ribbons on every light post they could find. I lost it. I don't understand why these people are dying over there.
I've already covered two war stories in the three months I've been in Lexington. I attended the funeral of Captain Eric Terhune who died serving in Iraq.
Most recently, I spoke with the wife of Private First Class Trampus Miller. He nearly lost his leg when his convoy was attacked in Iraq. The soldier sitting next to him Corporal Bill McMillian, from Lexington, died in the attack. Miller is now at Walter Reed in Washington DC.
It's an honor to tell the stories of these men and women, but every time I am done, I never understand. I don't understand why Kevin and all those other wonderful guys had to lose so many of their loved ones. I don't understand why so many families have to go through the pain of burying a son or daughter decades before they were supposed to.
I just don't understand war.
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