Guest Post: "My Marc left his mark on every life that he met..."
Marc Alan Lee
First Navy SEAL killed in Iraq 8-2-06
Are You Leaving Your Mark?
by Debbie Lee
Aug 2, 2006 is a day that changed my life forever. Many of you have those days that you remember that were life changing. For most of us we remember our graduations, the day we married the love of our life, and the birth of our children. These events will always bring a smile to our face and joy to our hearts. Our lives were greatly impacted and the overall impact has been a blessing. Not that our jobs don't bring frustrations and headaches at times, our spouses at times cause us to question our sanity, and our teenage children sometimes cause us to yearn for the empty nest, but overall we reflect and remember the good times especially on the birthdays or anniversaries.
The anniversary that I remember today isn't one that your first response is that of blessings and laughter, trust me I've already shed many tears today. Today I remember 2 years ago when I recieved a visit from a Navy Chaplain bringing me the most dreadful news I have ever recieved. When you have children serving in the military you know that a visit from a Chaplain only means one thing, death. The loss of child's life according to the experts is the hardest death to deal with. I have lost a Father, a husband, and a son and I will agree dealing with the death of my son has been the hardest by far.
I have spent the morning looking back at pictures from Marc's arrival home in his flag draped coffin, his funeral at Fort Rose Crans, his memorial service in Hood River, his pictures in Iraq, and his pictures growing up. While I mourn those two years without his smiling face, his bear hugs, his contagious life and playful antics, I am thankful and remember the 28 years that his life engraved on my heart and left his mark. How many of us can say we left our mark on this world? My Marc left his mark on every life that he met. :O)
As I looked through the pictures this morning I was reminded of all of the people who have touched my life during the past 2 years since Marc's death. God has been soooooooooooooo faithful to me and used so many of you to touch my life in such a special way. I am so grateful for everyone of you whether your impact has been great or small. Whether you are the President, a General or a new born child. I'm not even going to try to list all of you or how you have impacted my life as this letter would go on forever. Some of you have been their daily and others may have been a one time encounter. Many of you have prayed faithfully! I know that the way you have touched my life has helped me get through another day, week, month or year. I am so very thankful!
As we reflect on Marc today lets remember what he gave. Marc gave his laughter, his love, his smile, his faith, his determination, his love for this country, his humor, his love of life, his support, and Marc gave his life.
I know most of you have probably read Marc's last letter home, but I feel it is fitting to include it again today as we reflect on the two year anniversary of his death. There are also several memorial videos on you tube just type in Marc Alan Lee. If any of you have special memories of Marc I would love it if you would email those to me so that I can remember them forever.
We are a blessed nation to have men and women just like Marc who are willing to give it all for you, for me, for this nation. Those are the heroes of our nation that need to be honored. As I remember Marc today I also remember all of those who have served in our military, and those who gave it all. God Bless those mighty warriors, my heroes!
Counting my blessings,
Debbie Lee
PS:Thank you Marc for giving it all! Your are home son, and I will see you when I get there!
Marc's last letter home:
Glory is something that some men chase and others find themselves stumbling upon, not expecting it to find them. Either way it is a noble gesture that one finds bestowed upon them. My question is, when does glory fade away and become a wrongful crusade, or an unjustified means which consumes one completely?
I have seen war.
I have seen death, the sorrow that encompasses your entire being as a man breathes his last. I can only pray and hope that none of you will ever have to experience some of these things I have seen and felt here.
I have felt fear and have felt adrenaline pump through my veins making me seem invincible. I will be honest and say that some of the things I have seen here are unjustified and uncalled for. However for the most part we are helping this country. It will take more years than most expect, but we will get Iraq to stand on its own feet.
Most of what I have seen here I will never really mention or speak of, only due to the nature of those involved. I have seen a man give his food to a hungry child and family. Today I saw a hospital that most of us would refuse to receive treatment from. The filth and smell would allow most of us to not be able to stand to enter, let alone get medicine from.
However, you will be relieved to know that coalition forces have started to provide security for and supply medicine and equipment to help aid in the cause. I have seen amazing things happen here; however I have seen the sad part of war, too. I have seen the morals of a man who cares nothing of human life. . . .
I have seen hate towards a nation's people who has never committed a wrong, except being born of a third world, ill-educated and ignorant to western civilization. It is not everybody who feels this way, only a select few, but it brings questions to mind.
Is it ok for one to consider themselves superior to another race?
Surprisingly, we are not a stranger to this sort of attitude. Meaning that in our own country, we discriminate against someone for what nationality they are, their education level, their social status. We distinguish our role models as multi-million-dollar sports heroes or talented actors and actresses who complain about not getting millions of dollars more then they are currently getting paid.
Our country is a great country, don't get me wrong on this, otherwise none of us would be living there. My point of this is how can we come over here and help a less than fortunate country without holding contempt or hate towards them, if we can't do it in our country. I try to do my part over here, but the truth is over there, in the United States, I do nothing but take.
Ask yourself, when was the last time you donated clothes that you hadn't worn out. When was the last time you paid for a random stranger's cup of coffee, meal or maybe even a tank of gas? When was the last time you helped a person with the groceries into or out of their car?
Think to yourself and wonder what it would feel like if when the bill for the meal came and you were told it was already paid for. More random acts of kindness like this would change our country and our reputation as a country. It is not unknown to most of us that the rest of the world looks at us with doubt towards our humanity and morals.
I am not here to preach or to say 'look at me,' because I am just as at fault as the next person. I find that being here makes me realize the great country we have and the obligation we have to keep it that way.
The 4th has just come and gone and I received many e-mails thanking me for helping keep America great and free. I take no credit for the career path I have chosen; I can only give it to those of you who are reading this, because each one of you has contributed to me and who I am.
However, what I do over here is only a small percent of what keeps our country great. I think the truth to our greatness is each other. Purity, morals and kindness, passed down to each generation through example.So to all my family and friends, do me a favor and pass on the kindness, the love, the precious gift of human life to each other so that when your children come into contact with a great conflict like that we are now faced with here in Iraq, that they are people of humanity, of pure motives, of compassion.
This is our real part to keep America free!
HAPPY 4th! Love Ya,
Marc LeeP.S. Half-way through the deployment -- can't wait to see all of your faces.
Marc Alan Lee, 28, was killed while on active duty in Ramadi. His mother, Debbie Lee, said her son staged an offensive diversion in a moment of crisis. He reportedly made the decision to sacrifice his life after another SEAL was hit by sniper fire and several men were trapped inside a building.
