The American Sniper

I am reposting a memory that I had a few years ago that really brought home the sacrifices so many of our military family make. Coming upon the funeral procession of a true American hero, and seeing the thousands of people who were there to honor him left an impression on my heart that will always be there. On this Veterans Day, let’s thank all fo those who have given so much to keep us free.

April 26, 2011. A day I won't forget, but it hadn't started that way. I was driving home from installing 3 new model homes in San Antonio, and as I drove north on interstate 35 I kept passing service men standing on the side of the road. As I got closer to Temple I saw people and flags lining the overpasses as well, so I pulled over to find out what was going on.

I had heard about the tragic slaying of American Sniper Chris Kyle and Chris Littlefield, but didn't know that the funeral procession would be happening that morning. It was raining on and off, but that didn't stop soldiers from standing for hours by the road waiting to pay their respects. Temple is near Ft Hood, and there were wives and children of military personel lined up to pay their respects as well as people who just thought it was the right thing to do. Listening to conversations between people, and hearing why they were there was very emotional.

When the procession arrived, there wasn't a dry eye to be found, and we all prayed that the families of these heroes would know how much we appreciated how much these families had sacrificed to keep all of us free.

The guilty verdict was handed down a few moments ago, but in a case like this there are no winners. All we can hope is that the people left behind know that their loved ones were heroes, and that Americans never forget the sacrifices that they made.

February 24, 2015