Memorial Day

I used to think of Memorial Day weekend like most of America... It's the unofficial start of summer.  Time for BBQ's and parades. Time for the Garden State Parkway to resemble a parking lot!

But within the last few years it has come to mean so much more to me. 

My brother & sister in law both put in 20 years in the Air Force.  Thankfully, neither of them saw action like my grandfather & father in law did. 

A few years ago thejerseyshoredad's Marine cousin did a few tours in Iraq. 

But they all lived through their time in the service. 

Then this year my friend's 25 year old son was killed by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, just 2 weeks before he was to come home. 

Cpl Phillip McGeath

US Marine

Killed 1/18/12

A parents worst nightmare is to lose a child.

So when you give your child to the United States because they want to defend their country and they don't give him back, that's more then any parent should have to go through.  She posts often on Facebook about how much she misses him and how she keeps hoping it's a nightmare that she will soon awake.  And every time she does I am at a loss as to what to say.  I just want to hop on a plane to Texas and give her a hug.

Since I can't do that, I'll share their story on my blog.

So this weekend when you're lighting the grill or cracking open another beer, please remember that while all gave some, some gave all.

Freedom Remembered