Thread by @RThienprayoon

Memorial Day is to remember those who died for our country.
But today, I think of a friend who continues to risk his life in our military. His 3 kids and his wife. The work he's doing.
1/

Our friend flies big planes.
He evacuated thousands from Kabul. He flew into the madness and got people out.
I took his wife out to lunch while he was there. Sat with her. Worried with her. Felt it.
2/

The war in Ukraine has made me feel so helpless.
Our friend flew and left weaponry to arm the Ukrainians.
He's a helper.
3/

He, and thousands of other Americans, are at work in our military every day. Risking their lives to try to help.
Their lives are not abstract.
They have families. Partners, children, parents, friends. We are all connected.
4/

I share this every year.
When my husband deployed, I had a secret plan for who I would call if the uniformed people showed up to tell me he'd died.
Dallas hospital- chaplain friend and program director.
Dallas home- neighbor.
CCHMC- admin friend.
Cincinnati house- neighbor.
5/

I would call my brother, who would call my parents. They would all come.
Then I would have to call my MIL in Thailand.
Then I would have to plan the funeral.

Thousands of families have these secret plans.

We don't talk about them. We try not to think about them.
6/

Yesterday we saw a friend I haven't seen in more than ten years. He almost died in a military plane crash since in 2013. He and the others ejected, and they lived.
He calls it "the accident".
He has four children.
7/

#MemorialDay is a big deal to me.
We honor those who have died.
We honor their families.
We should pause to grieve what is lost.
And I also honor veterans and those currently serving, and their families, and the risk they incur daily. What could be lost.
The secret plans.
/end

@threadreaderapp unroll