Memorial Day Tribute

[DepecheModem]

This year I've heard the very sad news that the groom from one of my most favorite couples of alltime has died in Iraq. I've never served in the armed forces and I don't always remember to raise a flag on memorial day. Well, that's now in the past. I found some complete stranger in Tampa Florida to help sing the song to this slideshow. He did an amazing job! The bride and groom got married on a boat in 2005 and I talked them into going to a park the next day to take more pictures together. You don't ever really see a soldier this way, throwing loving glances at his wife. It's sad to see someone so young, with so many great things going for him get cut down just as his life is starting. Knowing the family like I do it makes me see those militay startistics so quickly mentioned on the evening news in an entire new way.

Anyway, next Monday is Memorial Day. I am hoping that if we can pass this video along to a few people you know that it would help refocus the attention on memorial day.

Thanks for watching it!

-Steve

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv7hrzJ3WX8

[jaojoby]

Semper Fi... What a beautiful tribute!

JP

[DepecheModem]

Thanks JP! They were so very happy together, she just glowed of it from the first time I met her. It took me a long time to put it together because it was hard to look at the images that felt like they were taken yesterday and think that he was gone.
I wanted a different perspective of an Army man, someone soft and gentle, a man adoring his wife. Not a camoflauge green army man, but a person who had other things going back at home. I thought for certain the bride wouldn't hear of making this public, but she was all for it.



-Steve

[PICTURE THIS!]

That is a touching tribute Steve, you did a beautiful job. Any woman or man that falls in love with a soldier is as corageous as the soldier themselve. It was nice of her to let you share that with everyone.

-Robin

[imported_Nee7x7]

Steve, it was so very moving to see you portray your friend as a newlywed and not just a statistic. So often, the news describes men and women in the military as "troops"...a term that really rankles me as a former Navy wife because it dehumanizes these brave souls who are willing to give their all for our freedom. God bless Mark and his family...our prayers go out to his parents, siblings, wife and friends. And God bless you, too, for sharing this with us~ Nee

[imported_Nee7x7]

Originally Posted by PICTURE THIS!

That is a touching tribute Steve, you did a beautiful job. Any woman or man that falls in love with a soldier is as corageous as the soldier themselve. It was nice of her to let you share that with everyone.

-Robin

Robin, that is soooo true! Being a military wife (or husband) is a very tough job. But the bond shared by military families is a very strong one and as neighbors and friends they look out for and take care of one another. I have no doubt that Mark's widow has felt that special brand of love and support you get from being part of a larger military family during her time of grief.

[YosemiteJunkie]

Well done tribute. Thanks for sharing it.

[isaiahbrink]

And there's a story that Nightline or any major news network would cover, they would just add him as a number in a body count. Thanks for putting the word out that the brave men and women over there are not just a statisitic but people.

Isaiah

[DepecheModem]

Thanks everybody for your kind words. I really have to thank Bradly Akeman who put his whole heart into the song and recorded it a couple of times until it was perfect.

I too feel we don't give enough credit to our military, and yes, they are getting dehumanized nearly every night on the evening news. Since the media cannot or wil not do it, I guess it's up to us to thank our troops in anyway possible.

No matter where they go, no matter what mission they are doing I support our troops because they support us. Our troops, like liberty itself are not owned by one political party. There should be no politics envolved to simply support, admire and most importanlty of all, thank our troops.

To all the men and women who serve, have served, and especailly to those who never came back from their missions. Thank You!

-Steve