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The
Boston Marathon's finish-line approach, on April 15th, 2013.
Everett Spain is near the base of the US flagpole.
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I am honored and pleased to be able to share with readers of The White Rhino Report this special Memorial Day message from my good friend, Colonel Everett Spain.
My name is Everett
Spain, and I am a Soldier. Several
friends asked me to share these comments, and I agreed to do so as part of our nation's
ongoing commitment to remember those who have been given the ultimate sacrifice
while defending the cause of freedom for others, including several personal
friends. As I have reflected on this
Memorial Day weekend, I have been encouraged to extend the scope of my
remembrance to include – not only those who have died in our nation's wars –
but also those who have perished, or were wounded in incidents like the Boston
Marathon bombings one year ago. For
reasons that I do not understand, God saw it fit to have me placed at the site
of the first bomb detonation. Following
are the remarks I offered a few weeks ago at a ceremony at Harvard University, which
has lost over 1,350 of its sons and daughters in military uniform since the
Revolutionary War, and which has 18 Medal of Honor recipients, many of them
posthumously. I offer these thoughts
with humility and the deepest respect, gratitude, and admiration for those who
have fallen and whom we remember this Memorial Day. I am proud such men and women lived.
For context,
this recent online article details much of the story:
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Soldiers' Medal Ceremony Comments
Everett S. P. Spain, Colonel, US Army
Friday, April 18th, 2014
U.S. Flagpole, Baker Lawn, Harvard Business
School
3:30 PM
About a year ago, as Steve and I approached the
finish line, it was overcast, and I was actually a little cold. Today reminds me of that day.
General (Bill) Rapp, thank you for those
undeservedly kind comments. Thank you to
my true friend Major Carl Oborski those few others who knew what happened and
documented and submitted this recognition on my behalf. Also, thank you to all in attendance for
coming, especially those of you who came many miles to join our families.
I did not intend to speak today, but some dear
friends told me I had to. So please
forgive me if the words don't come out right.
First, I'm no hero. I'm just a work in
progress trying to be a decent husband, father, classmate, colleague, citizen,
SOLDIER and friend, while often falling short. No one knows this more
than I, except maybe my love Julia. I'm simply undeserving of special
recognition. But today I stand among heroes. There are several
families of the fallen and survivor families here today. We marvel at your resilience, your
courage. You inspire us. We love how you persevere, day after day,
and how you aren't letting anything stop you as you heal and take care of
others along the way. You are the true
heroes and we all salute you (salute them).
No, I am no hero- but I am a Soldier.
And I know that every service member who has served, or who will serve in
the uniform of our nation, as well as their family members, would have done the
same thing I did on that day, or more.
It is just what we do. Also, numerous
others from all walks of life would have done the same, and many did.
Though I am undeserving of this award, I
reluctantly accept it, but only on behalf of the survivor families, the many
other first responders, and my own family.
Did you know that every service-member's uniform tells a story? Mine is no different, so this is now a part
of my story. If you look closely at the
colored ribbon of this medal, it has six vertical crimson stripes. We
read in the book of Isaiah: "And with His stripes we are healed."
These six healing crimson stripes represent the courage and dignity of all of
the survivor families affected that day, but especially to the six families
here today. You will always be with me
and my family wherever we go. The Campbell Family, Crimson Stripe. The Brassard
Family, Crimson Stripe. The Valverde-Perez Family, Crimson Stripe. The Kensky-Downes Family, Crimson Stripe. The Epstein-Reny Family, Crimson Stripe. The Sabra
Family, Crimson Stripe.
In addition to the distinguished families sitting
in the front, there are countless other individuals here today who place the
needs of others before their own needs daily. They are also Heroes. Indeed, I stand among heroes this
afternoon. And it inspires me to be in your individual and collective
company.
As Steve Sabra (visually impaired runner) and I
were running the last 7 miles of the race, my favorite thing was to run close
to the guardrails, where there was almost always a big crowd, and I would hold
Steve's hand out to the right and he would high five literarily dozens of
runners every few seconds. I would move
his hand up and down to connect with the cheering Bostonians as we ran by, and
it was good.
Second, I wish I could go back in time and change
what happened that day, but I can't.
So over the past year I have thought a lot about
what it means to be a true friend, to love and to be loved, and to be a part of
a family.
I have learned being a true friend means "I
will carry your sorrows and joys on my shoulders".
I have learned true love asks "where do I
end and you begin?"
I have learned that being a part of a family
means when one is in need, they will rush to your side, and when the dust
settles, they will remain unconditionally.
Yes, let's carry each other's sorrows and joys on
our shoulders. Let's love so we don't know where we end and they
begin. Let's remain steadfast by
our friends and family in need. And we
are all in need.
This run happens on Patriots day, which is the
anniversary of when our forefathers, a bunch of farmers had the courage to
stand up to the occupiers and demand freedom- this happened at the Old North
Bridge in Concord, about 15 from here- it is one of my favorite places in the world. "By the rude bridge that arched the
flood, their flag to April's breeze unfurled, once here the embattled farmers
stood, and fired the shot heard round the world." Can you imagine that courage?
Third, several people have asked me why I ran
towards the smoke. That is a difficult question to answer. What I do know is that I have been blessed
by the investment others have made into my character develop throughout my
lifetime.
The Spain Family ran towards the smoke- as a boy,
my parents role modeled how to be an upstander, a person who deliberately
stands up for people who are unable to stand up for themselves.
The Boy Scouts ran towards the smoke- they taught
me to help others daily
The Church ran towards the smoke - they taught me
to be willing to lay down my life for another
West Point ran towards the smoke- they taught me
selfless service and Duty
Harvard University ran towards the smoke- they
expected me to be a leader who makes a difference in this world
The US Military ran towards the smoke- they taught
me to never leave a fallen comrade
The American spirit ran towards the smoke. I once heard a young man summarize this
American spirit when he said, "There are evil people in the world who want
to hurt others or take others' freedoms away.
But if they try it, first they are going to have to deal with me".
No, I can say with perfect honestly that it
wasn't me who ran towards the smoke. But the values deliberately
imprinted on me by my faith, my family, my friends, my mentors, and many character-building
institutions over time, and our American spirit, those values ran towards the
smoke that day.
Finally, I'd like to close with a few observations.
Darkness- I am not sure exactly what that is, but
I know it is overcome by light.
Fear- I am not sure exactly what that is, but I
know it is overcome by hope.
Anger- I am not sure exactly what that is, but I
know it is overcome by forgiveness.
Inadequacy- I am not sure exactly what that is,
but I know it is overcome by Grace
Hate- I am not sure exactly what that is, but I
know it is overcome by Love.
Ben Johnston is a young West Point graduate who
now lives in Boston, and he recently
wrote a song we are about to play to honor those affected by last year's
events. He is a veteran of two combat tours
leading Soldiers, and was a kidney donor to a stranger in need. He is one
of the many heroes among us I described earlier. As you listen to the
song Ben wrote for all us, and I think the words may be in your programs, I ask
you lift the families affected by this incident up in your thoughts and
prayers, for their continued strength and healing, and for good to continue to
prevail in this world. Today, as always,
I am reminded of what survivor Patrick Downes, who is here today, said this
week on behalf of many of the survivors and their families: "We chose to love, and that has made all
the difference".
Thank you again for coming today, and may God
bless you all.
(The views expressed herein
are those of the author and do not reflect the position of the United States
Military Academy, the Department of the Army, or the Department of Defense.)
The
above graphic was drawn by Colonel Ryan Janovic, a dear friend of Everett's who
attended the ceremony (and who currently serves in the Department of the Army
Staff, Pentagon).
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