Monday, November 10, 2014

Veteran's Day 2014

First, let me say "Thank You" to all who have served in any branch of The United States of America Armed Forces through the years, whether during time of war, peace or cold war. You were there ready to put your lives on the line to protect us, our country and the freedom our fore fathers secured for us.

It's been a couple of years since I posted to this blog. It seems so many things always got in the way. I hope to start writing again and share my memories and stories of my family, as was my first intention for starting this particular blog.

However, I have thought about this post for days ... tried to plan what to say, photographs to display. Nothing seemed to formulate and I feel so addled-brained, so I'm just letting words drop on the page without giving much thought to the end result. My heart is heavy.

Veteran's Day, November 11, 2014

AEAN Michael Dennis Lucas
Today all over the country, there will be parades and celebrations honoring our veterans. It will be the first time in many, many years that my son, Michael Dennis Lucas will not be somewhere watching a parade and honoring his brothers from all branches of the military. It became his custom to take his niece, MaryJustice  to the parade in Huntsville, Alabama. I joined them from time to time and thoroughly enjoyed watching the parade. I have never been able to watch a parade without my chest swelling with pride and enjoyed the times I shared these moments with Michael and MaryJustice. Michael was so very proud of the Huntsville Madison County Veteran's Park. If you go to the parade, or perhaps on another day, please go to the brick walk and at Section 18, Row 2, Column 5, see the brick honoring AEAN Michael Dennis Lucas, purchased by his co-workers at the VA Hospital in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he was an Occupational Therapist Assistant working with the disabled veterans with PTSD and other mental illnesses. He went back to school in his 30's to get his degree because he knew this was what he was meant to do. He came home from the Persian Gulf War with PTSD, which  at that time was not recognized as an illness. He had his dream job and loved it.

On December 12, 2013, at age 43, Michael passed away of a sudden heart attack. We laid him to rest with "his brothers" at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo, Alabama, on December 23, 2013, twenty-two years to the day that he came home from the Persian Gulf War to celebrate Christmas with his family and friends.

So, today or any day for that matter, when you see someone in uniform or a veteran of any war, tell them "Thank you for your service."