Monday, May 28, 2012

Kicking Ass & Chewing Bubblegum

Today is Memorial Day. While I have not posted a blog in over a year, my observations leading up to this day have compelled me to dust off this bad boy and spout about things I am only marginally qualified to spout about. Let's rock.


Does anyone remember Brian Wood?



Probably not.  He was a video game designer from British Columbia. To my knowledge, he’d never spent a day in a wasteland (unless you count the local Costco). The closest he ever came to being a soldier was working on Company of Heroes, a PC strategy game.  Nobody would have called him a hero, until September 3, 2010. That was the day he swerved his vehicle to the side to take the brunt of an oncoming vehicle that had suddenly veered into his lane.

He did this to save the lives of his wife and unborn child. His sacrifice allowed two people to live where no one should have.

Totally worth it.


What about Liviu Librescu, the Romanian-born PhD who taught both in Israel and the United States? He grew up in Nazi-controlled Ploiesti. Remarkably intelligent in the field of experimental aircraft,

Actually it IS rocket science.


Liviu never set foot on a battlefield. Still, surely somebody has spared a thought for him today.

This guy. This is the guy.


I know who has: The Virginia Tech students whose lives he saved on April 16, 2007. That was the day he took four bullets from a mentally-unstable student while holding a classroom door closed. He did this so said students could escape out a window.

"Your death-bullets bore me."


You guys remember Clara Almazo? That old battle axe from Staten Island?

No?

Correction: Middle-aged battle axe.


Now? No? Well, I suppose that unless you’re from New York, you probably didn’t hear about Clara way back in April. That was when she made local headlines by throwing her grandson out of the way of an out-of-control vehicle, piloted by a drunk driver with an out-of-control goatee.

Told you.


She took the brunt of the hit, finally coming to rest 150 feet from where she was hit. She died hours later. Her grandson walked away with scrapes and bruises.

Above: The rare resting battle axe.



I could go on, but I’m tired and jet-lagged. Still, there are more. Many more. These are just a few remarkable, heart-wrenching, inspiring stories I found in just under an hour. Brian, Liviu and Clara are heroes.I am not dishonoring those service members who have died in service by saying this. As a veteran I think I speak for all veterans when I say we appreciate the thoughts today. I think I can reasonably vouch for the Schild, Cuka, Kokesh and Wagner families when I say the thoughts are treasured, and will be forever. Theirs was heroism, well and true. I am not saying you should not honor them or be grateful for what they gave. I know I do.

But I think Memorial Day is about more than soldiers or sailors or airmen or Marines. Memorial Day is about sacrifice. Today is the day we honor all those who have passed, especially those who sacrificed for others without thought of their own livelihood. To sacrifice is human. To sacrifice everything is heroic. And not all heroes wear combat boots. Some wear gaming headsets, or Kippahs, or orthopedic shoes. Let’s not forget their sacrifice. Let's not forget that more people are willing to make that sacrifice than we think. 

Happy Memorial Day, kids.