While many families in the US and around the world were getting ready for Halloween, another family was getting ready to welcome home a family member that had been gone for 15 very long months. They gathered along with hundreds of other family members of soldiers to welcome home their soldier in an airplane hangar, to wait for that glimpse of their loved one when he marched in the doors along with all the other soldiers. It was 9:15am and Holly, her two daughters (17 and 20) and her son (24) were gathered to welcome home the father/ husband that had been missing in their lives for a very long 15 months. Another daughter who could not make it from VA was on the phone, at least being able to check with Mom on how things were going.
The soldiers marched into the hangar to the theme from “Rocky” and the first thing that Holly noticed was that they all look very tired. But when you travel almost across the globe, passing time zones and spending countless hours on a plane, you are allowed to look tired, but also they looked wonderful! Wonderful in that they were home, back on US Soil, back home with the ones they love, and love them in return.
Holly I am sure had a lot of different feelings go through her mind at the moment she saw her husband live for the first time in 15 months. But I am sure that the most prevalent ones were love and pride. After a few speeches the soldiers were released and the rush to hug, kiss, hold and just touch was on. Holly held onto her husband and cried as did he. When asked why they were crying, Holly replied they were tears of joy. That’s probably a slight understatement.
The husband, father and friend that returned was Brigadier General Mick Bednarek. General Bednarek was the Deputy Commander of the 25th Infantry Division out of Hawaii. He had been in Iraq for the last 15 months, and because of that I had the chance to get to know his family, and to some extent, the General himself.
I produce and publish a video channel on YouTube. The channel is dedicated to the job that our military men and women are doing in Iraq. I publish videos from several different sources and try to give the public a chance to see some of the things that they will not see on the news. Many of the positive things and successes that they have. It was through this channel that I met and got to know as I have come to call them “The Bednarek Clan”.
Back in June of this year I published a video of a General giving what I thought was a very well done and informative press conference briefing. Shortly after that I got a message on my YouTube account from a young lady that said she was the Generals niece. She asked me if I could find any other videos of the General could I please post them. She said that her family (the Generals) really enjoyed just seeing him and would love to see anything that I could dig up on him. So as I am prone to do, I took it as a challenge. I found several photos and videos of the General and put them up on the web for his family. Then I got an e-mail that really touched me. It was from the Generals wife, Holly. She thanked me and told me she really enjoyed being able to see the General even if it was in a video. Here she was thanking me for finding these videos. I also laughed to myself, I thought it should be me that was thanking her for being a military family that is sacrificing for the rest of us. I should be thanking her, not the other way around. I sent her back an e-mail telling her as much and the connection was made.
In the course of the next couple of weeks I received e-mails from 7 members of the Generals Family (The Clan) and all of them were heartwarming and caring comments. Many of them asked me how I was doing and thanking me . Again I was struck by the humility they showed. We exchanged e-mails, talked about our families, and of course the General and the situation in Iraq (although this was the least talked about subject).
I felt like I got to know the General through his family and got to know his wonderful wife Holly and his sister and the other members of the Bednarek family. We talked of meeting someday, and little do they know I may be taking one of them up on that soon.
I even one time found a live video feed from Iraq where the General was scheduled to talk to a bunch of Commanders that were in training back in the states. I told Holly and the other family members about it. I watched it myself sitting at my office computer. The General is a soft spoken yet strong leader. I have listened to literally hours of him talking about his mission, his men and women under his care and the job he felt so strongly that they were doing. The General is what I used to call when I was a Sgt. In the U.S Army, a soldiers soldier. Leaders like him are few and far between, probably why he has risen to the rank he has. I would follow him if I was in that position.
I got an e-mail from Holly about the Generals return a week ago. I felt the warmth and love she had put into about the General. And his journey was over for this trip. What I got out of his deployment were a group of new friends. I do not use the term friends casually. I use it with all honesty being able to say I feel I know the Bednarek’s better than I know some of my neighbors and acquaintances at work. I have been invited, more than once, to visit them. They have even talked of when they are settled in from this deployment, of maybe traveling and on that trip, stopping by to say hi to me and my family. That offer alone is very heartwarming.
I wanted to share this with all of you that read my blog. I felt it was a very important part of my journey here on the internet. It goes to show you the wonderful people you can meet on here. I thank God that I had the chance to meet and get to know the Bednarek’s and their wonderful family. I hope to continue that friendship in the future.
Thank you Holly and the rest of the Bednarek Clan, you are the very reason that the US is such a wonderful place to live. A family that sacrifices so much for the rest of us, allowing us to share your husband/father in a way most people have no idea about. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.