Killed in Action

Tyler Vietti holds his daughter,

Karsyn, who will turn 1 on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

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My son Sean's good friend Cameron called us to let us know that his brother was killed. His brother is Tyler Vietti.

Tyler Vietti was serving in the U.S. Army and was killed Monday while fighting in Afghanistan.

He was killed while on a mission with his outfit in Afghanistan when a roadside bomb went off when he stepped outside of his vehicle.

It is so easy to forget how quickly life can change, how relationships can cease, how loved ones whom can be taken for granted can disappear so quickly.

It is so easy to forget what the men and women who volunteer for the military are offering of themselves for us. They literally give everything of themselves for us, without even knowing us.

"To love your neighbor as yourself."

"To give your life for another."

I feel sorrow for the child that is left behind, his wife, his brothers, his mother and his father whom all have lost so much. There is no comforting words that replace what has been stripped away.

Yet.... as a man of faith, there is no sorrow for Tyler who is resting in the awesome glory of our Creator for an endless and eternal realm of joy and peace.

It is so easy to forget that our final destination has nothing to do with this world, yet quite the contrary. This is, for a lack of better words, a boot camp, or a training ground to prepare us for the ultimate destination: Heaven!

It doesn't mean that we cannot feel sadness or pain when a loved one is taken so fast, especially when we feel robbed, it is only natural, expected, but we also must understand that while we were robbed in a sense, he has been rewarded.

Remember the old song: "Only the good die young," OK I might be dating myself, but there might just be some truth to such a statement.

I hope and pray that the hurt will not linger forever for the wife and child of this HERO, nor for the brothers and parents. But I also hope that there can be a trace of rejoicing for this soul that has been united to our Lord and Savior of this holy day as well.

The Irish have a tradition and custom that when one dies it is a party in celebration of their departure from this world and joyful entrance into paradise........

My prayers are with the family (Our friends) that are left behind and my envy, rejoicing, and praise is with Tyler........ Our Hero and our Saint in heaven!