Oh, beautiful Colorado—how I love you! Today Jason and I rode 35 miles from the north end of Colorado Springs to the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Castle Rock and it was glorious. The weather was perfect and the road was great. The 50 or so cyclists we saw were a good indication that I had chosen a good route…except for the rough climb up W. Wolfensberger Road for our last few miles. But the climb was worth it for the experience of talking with Gold Star Mom Julie Schrock and learning about her son, Corporal Max W. Donahue, USMC. Max was a K-9 handler with enormous presence and courage. He was a protector. Max and his dog made an incredible team. Max gave his life on August 4 (or August 7, as his gravestone reads), 2010 in Afghanistan…and the kennels at Camp Leatherneck are now named in his honor. Julie has written a book entitled Missing Max: Finding Hope After My Marine Son’s Death. Max and his dog, Fenji, are also featured in a book entitled Soldier Dogs: The Untold Story of America’s Canine Heroes, written by Maria Goodavage. Julie’s book has taken on a life of its own, and she is often asked to share her story (and Max’s story) with groups of students in the Colorado Springs area. She mentioned the work being done by the staff and volunteers of Freedom Service Dogs, a non-profit group that rescues dogs and trains them to provide support and companionship for people with disabilities. I’ve included the link below. After our meeting with Julie I headed down to American Legion Post 209 in Colorado Springs to meet with the Pikes Peak Chapter of American Gold Star Mothers. My time with this amazing group of ladies was all too short, and I wished for the chance to hear each one of their stories. I was once again struck with the realization that these families welcome the opportunity to share about their fallen heroes—and they don’t need the rest of us to be ready with an answer of how to fix things or make them better. We can’t do that, and they don’t expect us to. They would simply like for us to listen. After my time with the Pikes Peak Mothers I spent a little time with Pat O’Kane-Trombley as she shared some stories of her son, Captain Thomas Gramith, USAF. Tom was an F-15E pilot who gave his life, along with his dear friend and combat crewman, Captain Mark McDowell, on July 17, 2009 in Afghanistan. I learned that Tom had a heart for little kids—he looked out for the well-being of the younger ones even as an elementary school student himself. Tom had an affinity for mechanical engineering; he excelled both in his engineering degree program and in his ROTC unit at North Dakota State University. He was a gifted singer, and he was also quite talented at memorizing and regaling others with movie quotes. Tom and Mark were a well-respected, expertly trained team, and their loss affected their families as well as their fellow Airmen very deeply. I wish I’d had a chance to know Tom in person…and I was thankful for at least a small window into the man he was to his comrades, and the son, brother, husband, and father he was to his family. Thank you, Tom, for your service to our country, and for laying down your life for us. We are forever grateful. freedomservicedogs.org
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 04:27:10 +0000