Posted on 10/27/2005 5:06:18 AM PDT by Puppage
(West Hartford-WTNH, Oct. 26, 2005 6:30 PM) _ There are war protests getting underway across Connecticut tonight, marking a somber milestone in Iraq.
The number of troops killed has topped 2,000 and tonight the mother of a fallen Connecticut Marine is urging the country to stand together.
Leesa Philippon says she will never totally heal from her son's death.
22-year-old Lance Cpl. Lawrence R. Philippon was killed last Mother's Day fighting insurgents in Iraq.
"It's a pain that I know will never go away. It will be there every morning that I wake up and every night when I go to sleep. I feel like Larry is standing at my bed every morning and he tucks me in every night," says Leesa.
She says she will never forget the night that a Marine came to her door to tell her that her eldest son died in battle. That deep emotional pain returned this week after the number of Americans killed in Iraq reached 2,000.
"My heart breaks every time I hear of any of our troops being killed. I know that knock on the door. I know that fear. The 2,000th is as important as the first one that died," says Leesa.
As Americans around the country and here at home plan to hold vigils honoring the fallen and protest the war this West Hartford mother believes their actions may be dividing the nation even more.
"If my son had been dragged into that office to raise his hand to say I will go to war and my son was drafted, then I think those parents would have a right to question. My son, he raised his hand. He said he will honor the Commander in Chief and that he will fight for freedom."
Im glad to hear of people like your son. We owe them our thanks.
Amen
"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."
- General George S. Patton, Jr
God bless Leesa Philippon and her family. May they find comfort in the Risen Lord. And may her son rest in peace. My thanks to him for his service and sacrifice and my appreciation to his mother, who despite her loss, has stepped up to defend and protect her son's honor and the dignity of his sacrifice for our freedom.
So refreshing to hear someone other than Cindy Sheehan for a change.
Glad to hear from this woman and I'm pleased the station gave her the air time. The Fox station in Hartford only put anti war people on during their news segment and quoting without any dispute their allegation that 100K Iraqis died. The old man they spoke to was a WW 2 vet so I guess that was supposed to give him more credence when he said "our leaders deceived us." More bull. Reporters never ask where is the proof of this?
Well said!
I honor with all my heart and soul those Americans who choose to join our military and to serve this country in that capacity. It's sickening to me to hear MSM anti-Bush/anti-conservatives refer to these MEN and WOMEN as "boy" and "girls" as I heard Susan Estrich say last night on BOR, or as "kids." Yes, they are somebody's kid, somebody's child...but these are MEN and WOMEN serving, and heartbreakingly so, dying in the service of their country...NOT boys and girls, and not "kids."
"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."
- General George S. Patton, Jr
I have never read that quote before. How true it is!
Rest assured, we are trying to take care of Leesa and Ray. I have had some conversations with her on MarineParents.com, where we care for each other. I lost my son in January, so we have a lot in common. In fact, today I mailed some of the "Gold Star" lapel buttons for the families of the fallen to Leesa.
The real tragedy is that you will never meet our boys, or know what fine people they were, or what brilliant things they could bring to this world. That is a real tragedy...
As Leesa said to us, "... I will always be so very grateful for his presence in my life...."
Thanks, Puppage.
Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.
Rest In Peace Lance Cpl. Lawrence R. Philippon
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