Never Forget

My heart is saddened today at the loss of a soldier from Lockney. Staff Sargent Wesley Hunter passed away this afternoon. I didn't know Wes very well. He had just graduated from high school when I moved back. I know his older sister and his parents very well. They worship here in Lockney with me.

Wes was injured when his humvee struck a land mine outside of Baghdad February 26, 2006. He lost two of his team members in the incident. Wes was brought home with lots of shrapnel in his body. He has battled with pain ever since. He had just gotten to Lockney yesterday for a visit with his family and friends. He went in to take a nap this afternoon, not to wake up.

I missed the ambulance page cause I was in the clinic at the time getting an allergy shot. I heard the sirens as I walked out of the clinic, went to see what was happening as they pulled into the ER here in Lockney. When I figured out who it was, my heart sank. We have a really good hospital here, but when they get a "code", they can be short handed. We, the ambulance crew and I, stayed to help with compressions as the doctors and nurses were busy with other things. We worked on him for what seemed like and eternity, all the long I was praying a selfish prayer, "God, please don't let him die!". I have worked a few codes at the ER over the years. All of them has been on folks who were older, folks that in my mind has served their time. It just didn't seem right, 28 years old, a beautiful wife and 2 beautiful children. I guess you're never ready for a young person to die.

His mom came to me afterward and asked me to go get Mandy, her oldest child and Wesley's sister. I quickly went out the door, got in my pickup and started towards her house before I realized what I was about to do. As I drove over, I was praying the whole time, "God, give me the words and the strength to do this!". When I got there, I broke down. I couldn't say anything, only to hug her and nod my head when she asked me if he was gone. On the way to the hospital, Mandy told me that she had been praying that this visit be redemptive. She looked at me and asked me "has it been?". What do you say? "Yes, it will be, It has to be" was my reply. And I know in my heart that it will be. God wants 2 things from each of us: 1. For all men to be saved 2. and for all of us to be made in the likeness of Christ.

Here's to you, Wesley! I love you and thank you for your sevice. My freedom that I enjoy so much is because of men like you. Oh yeah, say hi to my dad!