Hello Dear Reader. Last night's vigil along busy Pacific Coast Highway in the Los Angeles area, brought numerous horn honks, waves and shout outs of support, on a night so chilly, that John Fortier and I both probably had pink noses and pink cheeks by the time it ended. In writing this vigil summary on Thanksgiving, a special holiday in which Americans express their gratitude for all the good things in their lives, I would like to share with you a story that illustrates why we hold these vigils.
Although I never met him, Army Spc. Koran Contreras was born 21 years ago in Redondo Beach and grew up in Lawndale, spending numerous hours skateboarding with his many friends in Hermosa Beach, all cities near Anne's and my home. His parents, Lilia and Marco Contreras-Quiroz are Mexican immigrants and as a boy, when he wasn't in school, little Koran used to join his mother as she cleaned houses. When he grew older, to bring money into the household, he worked as a chef and food server at Cafe Boogaloo and Shark's Cove in Hermosa Beach.
But after Koran graduated from Leuzinger High School, despite his mother's pleas, he joined the Army because he wanted to serve his country and he hoped to one day become a police officer. In 2009, he served a year's tour of duty in Iraq and was later sent to Afghanistan, to train Afghan police in Kandahar province. On September 8th, 2011, his unit came under attack and Koran and 20 year old Pfc. Douglas Jeffries Jr. from the Bakersfield area were blown up by an improvised explosive device.
Shortly afterward, Koran was buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery, his life ended before he had a chance to really live it. He is survived by his wife, his parents and his 8 year old little brother Anthony and by his many skateboarding friends, who want to build some form of memorial to him. Everyone who was close to Koran is traumatized by his death, Anthony now left to grow up without the love and guidance of his big brother. His mother Lilia tries to make sense of it all, comforting herself as best she can by remembering the good times, such as when she and Koran would share stories and laughs over breakfast at the kitchen table, coffee mugs in hand.
Today being Thanksgiving it is very difficult for the Contreras family as they look at Koran's pictures and notice the empty chair where he would have been sitting, sharing stories and love with everyone. Instead there is only silence. So on this Thanksgiving and all the days that follow, my heartfelt compassion goes out to their family and I share their story with you so that he and they become much more than empty statistics. I'm thankful for his 21 year life and I hope you are too. In thinking of Lilia and all of America's current wars, I recall something my friend Mary Ellen emailed after last week's vigil summary, "We need more women in power. Women are not as hell bent to kill other women's children. We know how hard it is to raise a bright, beautiful and wonderful human. We do not consider humans expendable."
Dick
If you would like to know more about Koran and his family, please see "Koran P. Contreras dies at 21; Army specialist from Lawndale," Los Angeles Times http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/20/local/la-me-koran-contreras-20111120
Although I never met him, Army Spc. Koran Contreras was born 21 years ago in Redondo Beach and grew up in Lawndale, spending numerous hours skateboarding with his many friends in Hermosa Beach, all cities near Anne's and my home. His parents, Lilia and Marco Contreras-Quiroz are Mexican immigrants and as a boy, when he wasn't in school, little Koran used to join his mother as she cleaned houses. When he grew older, to bring money into the household, he worked as a chef and food server at Cafe Boogaloo and Shark's Cove in Hermosa Beach.
But after Koran graduated from Leuzinger High School, despite his mother's pleas, he joined the Army because he wanted to serve his country and he hoped to one day become a police officer. In 2009, he served a year's tour of duty in Iraq and was later sent to Afghanistan, to train Afghan police in Kandahar province. On September 8th, 2011, his unit came under attack and Koran and 20 year old Pfc. Douglas Jeffries Jr. from the Bakersfield area were blown up by an improvised explosive device.
Shortly afterward, Koran was buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery, his life ended before he had a chance to really live it. He is survived by his wife, his parents and his 8 year old little brother Anthony and by his many skateboarding friends, who want to build some form of memorial to him. Everyone who was close to Koran is traumatized by his death, Anthony now left to grow up without the love and guidance of his big brother. His mother Lilia tries to make sense of it all, comforting herself as best she can by remembering the good times, such as when she and Koran would share stories and laughs over breakfast at the kitchen table, coffee mugs in hand.
Today being Thanksgiving it is very difficult for the Contreras family as they look at Koran's pictures and notice the empty chair where he would have been sitting, sharing stories and love with everyone. Instead there is only silence. So on this Thanksgiving and all the days that follow, my heartfelt compassion goes out to their family and I share their story with you so that he and they become much more than empty statistics. I'm thankful for his 21 year life and I hope you are too. In thinking of Lilia and all of America's current wars, I recall something my friend Mary Ellen emailed after last week's vigil summary, "We need more women in power. Women are not as hell bent to kill other women's children. We know how hard it is to raise a bright, beautiful and wonderful human. We do not consider humans expendable."
Dick
If you would like to know more about Koran and his family, please see "Koran P. Contreras dies at 21; Army specialist from Lawndale," Los Angeles Times http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/20/local/la-me-koran-contreras-20111120
No comments:
Post a Comment