Ding, Dong
So you might be asking what is this worst possible news . . . three green suiters showing up at my door. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was 5:03pm, Saturday, November 13, 2004. I was getting ready to head out the door to dinner with some other wives in the battalion when the doorbell rang. I expected to see my friend with wine in hand but instead got the shock of my life.
For nine months, I had worried about my husband. I knew he was a soldier and would do the best possible job to stay safe but it wasn’t to be. I had thought about how I might react if I had been notified. My visions were nowhere near how I reacted. I had always imagined I would just go crazy, cry hysterically, scream, and pass out, but I did none of those things. I was very calm, and then my body went so numb. I was so numb that I almost dropped Colin who was only 10 months old. The numbness would stay for hours. The best way to describe the feeling is as if my entire body had fallen asleep.
I had prepared in case anything happened in Iraq because if you prepare you will never need it right? I wrote two phone numbers on the message board by my door of my two friends I would want called so I pointed to them and said, “Please call.” One was already on her way and my “wife” lived just down the street. She was called to come to my house, but she had no clue. The next hours are so hard, because I just kept saying that are you sure it is my husband and not the other one . . . there were two in the brigade with the same rank and name. I was assured it was my Sean. I was completely shocked and had no idea what to do next. Thank goodness for friends.
For nine months, I had worried about my husband. I knew he was a soldier and would do the best possible job to stay safe but it wasn’t to be. I had thought about how I might react if I had been notified. My visions were nowhere near how I reacted. I had always imagined I would just go crazy, cry hysterically, scream, and pass out, but I did none of those things. I was very calm, and then my body went so numb. I was so numb that I almost dropped Colin who was only 10 months old. The numbness would stay for hours. The best way to describe the feeling is as if my entire body had fallen asleep.
I had prepared in case anything happened in Iraq because if you prepare you will never need it right? I wrote two phone numbers on the message board by my door of my two friends I would want called so I pointed to them and said, “Please call.” One was already on her way and my “wife” lived just down the street. She was called to come to my house, but she had no clue. The next hours are so hard, because I just kept saying that are you sure it is my husband and not the other one . . . there were two in the brigade with the same rank and name. I was assured it was my Sean. I was completely shocked and had no idea what to do next. Thank goodness for friends.
posted by Heidi at 10/04/2005 03:19:00 PM
1 Comments:
Hi Mrs Sims,
I saw your post on my site and thought I would come check out yours. I wish I could say I knew your husband, but I don't. But someone a long time about once told me, "If you ever hear someone say a nice thing about a person; tell that person what was said."
All I know is that Cole Namken said your husband was an incredible commander to work for. I believe Cole was his XO before taking Stalker Platoon. And currently, as CPT Keating's XO, I understand how well you get to know a commander offline.
I just thought you should know that your husband and the respect and admiration of his subordinates.
Cole told me all of this during our time in Fallujah after Nov 13th.
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