When I think of honor I think of all those men and women who gave their life while serving their country. Some people have lost their lives in war, others in training missions, and others in experiments gone wrong. But all gave their lives for their country.
All gave some, some gave all
One of my friends was a fighter pilot and his plane went down in January of 2013. When I first heard about the accident I was certain they would find him. He was an amazing outdoorsman and he had so much to live for.
When I heard that his plane crashed I was worried, but surely this couldn’t be the end. I really thought they would find him. And they did find his body after searching for 3 days, but he was gone. I never had really thought about how dangerous being a fighter pilot is. I never thought about the risk they took for each training mission. It had always been natural to worry about the military members overseas not really thinking that ones at home station. Not realizing the risk they take every day and could be lost so quickly as well.
I was in awe of the fact he was a fighter pilot. And could not believe the luck he had to be serving in Italy. But a few things…bad weather, his seat not being correctly place, and other various factors caused his plane to go down and his life to end. Suddenly, everything changed. He was gone and would not be coming back.
Tragedy strikes – honor
His wife was nine months pregnant when the accident took place and she went from planning for childbirth to planning a memorial service. It seemed like everything was going well for their family and now his daughter is growing up without a father. The sacrifice he gave still ripples in the people who were closest to him. His wife, brother, mother, and others still miss him.
I still can’t believe he is gone. I still can’t believe I won’t be able to go on one of his amazing adventures again. His life was cut short, but the days he lived he lived life to the fullest.
But his legacy lives on
A memorial fund has been set up in his honor if you would like to donate or learn more about this amazing man please check out the link: Lucas Gruenther Legacy Foundation
And if you ever wonder why we chose the name Luke for our son this is the story of why.
See all my 31 Days…Military Life
I’m from a military family, and while I’ve been fortunate not to lose any of my loved ones, I’ve watched my family members struggle with the loss of the men and women they served with – their families by adoption and shared experience. Much love to your friend’s wife and child… 🙁
This is the only friend I have lost and it wasn’t even combat related. I would have thought I would have lost a friend from a combat situation before a tragic accident. The military has such a special bond with friends who become like family.
A sad story.
What a heartbreaking story. Thank you for sharing it and honoring the fallen.
I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. I grew up in a family with military and have such a respect for everything our servicemen and servicewomen sacrifice and how much their families sacrifice too. What a beautiful way to honour your friend by naming your son after him! I will definitely keep his family in my prayers.
My husband and I were struggling with a name and when my husband suggested it, there wasn’t any more discussion on that. We finally had our name. I wish there was more we could have done, but I hope that naming our son after him helps keeps his memory alive.
God bless the family and God bless our Military. These are the people who care and keep us safe.
I agree. The military does so much for so many.
Thank you for the raw, openness of this post.
Thanks for reading.
Thank you for sharing your heart in this story. Our son, too, is named after a friend KIA in Afghanistan. Every day my husband flies, I pray that there are no training accidents. It’s a hard road to walk, this military life…
It is hard. I’m sorry for your loss and am glad to hear you were able to honor him by naming your son after him. He must have been an amazing man to deserve such an honor. Missed, but not forgotten.
This is a beautiful tribute. You do indeed honor your friend well, both with your words here and in the legacy of your son. I’m sorry for your loss.