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Health & Fitness

I'm Dead, That Sucks

A war, a promise and a cross country ride to honor a fallen hero.

Memorial Day is a twenty-four hour span of time in which we do our best, as a nation, to remember our war heroes, dead and alive. By stark contrast, our war heroes do their jobs every day of the year, most often without acclaim.

Thanks to Army veteran Kevin Mincio and his promise to his friend, Jesse Williams, the Team Jesse Foundation and the documentary film, “The Long Ride Home” expand honor, remembrance, hope and help for our nation’s champions.

I first met Jesse Williams while working on a political campaign spearheaded by his father, Santa Rosa-based consultant Herb Williams. Jesse was a few years older than my three kids and these teenagers were all enlisted to deliver and post yard signs.

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He was a true charmer with a great smile, and my kids never stopped talking about their afternoon with Jesse.

Jesse joined the military, as had his dad, many years before. Herb always credited the military and the Boy Scouts for saving him from a dark and difficult life as a youth. Herb earned the highest-ranking designation of Eagle Scout; so did Jesse. Herb enlisted in the Army, as did his son.

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Herb had a great party when Jesse came home on leave. I remember thinking how he had matured, yet was still as engaging as ever. Herb was beaming with pride, as Jesse took front and center to show a video he shot in Iraq. I went up close to watch the screen, but as Jesse’s video continued I had to make my way to the back so I could hide my tears.

As a woman who never served in the military, who had no children that went to war, I just didn’t realize what these young folks were dealing with every single day, until I saw that video. I saw it all on TV of course, but it didn’t connect with total impact until Jesse told me his story. Days grim, hot and uncertain. Again, and again, and again.

Apparently Jesse made another video to be shown only if he died in combat.

He did, leaving a young wife, an infant child and a devastated father.

I try to remember to send Herb an email each Memorial Day, to let him know we are keeping Jesse especially close in our thoughts and prayers.

This year he quickly wrote me back and asked me to follow the link: “It is where we are.”

I hope you will follow the link too, and read Kevin Mincio’s incredible story, which takes him from the World Trade Center on 9/11, to Iraq where an intense bond of friendship and loyalty forms, with an enduring promise; the creation of a vital nonprofit foundation; a bike ride across the United States amidst tremendous obstacles, which started at Jesse’s grave - and a moving documentary film about Kevin and Jesse - and about war and remembrance, which premiered on Memorial Day at the Seattle International Film Festival.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/movies/2018289669_siff28.html

I’ve also included the trailer (on right) of this moving tribute that starts with Jesse’s video and on camera comment: “So I’m dead. That ……..sucks.”

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