Sept 11th, the day is
a solemn reminder that our FREEDOM, our way of life is not free, it is paid for
at a very dear and high price.
That Freedom, freedom we enjoy and take for granted is paid for with the lives of our
service members.
This Sept 11th, I
noticed a tweet on twitter from a father who lost his son from the actions
following that day. His son was around
the same age of my son and his son was, his hero. Christopher Blake Rodgers was a U.S.
Marine. That tweet called to me for days,
I thought about it when I went to sleep, when I drove to work and when I ran. Months earlier I had signed up to run the
Marine Corp Marathon on Oct 28th in Washington
D.C.
I did not know Christopher, I do not know his
family, but that tweet and his father allowing me to run in his son’s honor
spurred me to learn more about one of our NATIONS heroes.
Lance Corporal Christopher Blake Rodgers,
United States Marine Corps, was killed in action on September 1, 2010 in the
Helmand Province of Afghanistan. He was 20 years old.
September 11, 2001, when Blake, then 11 years
old, witnessed with horror and disbelief as airplanes were used as suicide
weapons, to attack his people and his country; the United States of America. He
sat in his living room and cried. It was on that day that Blake told his
parents he wanted to help; that he wanted to serve and that he wanted to be a
Marine. Blake graduated from High School
in May of 2008 and enlisted in the Marine Corps in July. In October 2008 he left
home for the first time, enroute to what is universally acknowledged to be THE
most demanding, arduous and intensive Basic Training the US
Blake exemplified desire, honesty, hard work
and dedication. He loved being an American, he loved being a Marine, he loved
HIS Marine Corps.
Marine Lance Corporal Christopher Blake
Rodgers died doing what he loved; for those he loved; with those he loved as
brothers at his side; in harm's way; in a land far away. We can never and will
never forget his sacrifice. His passing marks the sacrifice of a young and
promising life; the ultimate sacrifice made for you, for me and for this
country.
SEMPER FIDELIS, MARINE and God Bless!
In
Jesus Name I Run…and to remember Christopher Blake Rodgers, US MARINE AND SON.
Great post. I'll be at MCM cheering for my husband (and all runners!), though I have to admit this whole time I've been focused on the second M--Marathon--rather than the more important first M, Marine. Thank you for reminding me what this race truly represents--the brave men and women who are putting their lives on the line for our freedom. And thank you for running to honor this young man, who sacrificed his life in honor of our country.
ReplyDelete