Posted on 02/25/2007 7:23:36 PM PST by World_Events
Liza Biggers blinked back tears and gently patted her brother Ethan's hand as he lay in his hospital bed, finally wearing the Purple Heart he earned in Iraq.
Ethan's family had held off on the medal ceremony, hoping he would emerge from his year-long coma.
When that didn't happen, his 22-year-old twin, Matt, made a phone call to make sure he received the award before he died.
Last Sunday's private ceremony was a poignant moment in a tumultuous journey that began the day Army Spc. Ethan Biggers was critically wounded in Iraq.
Biggers' family stopped trying to keep him alive on Feb. 13. His feedings were halted and all that was left were the goodbyes.
On Saturday, about 1:35 a.m., Ethan died, with Matt holding his hand and Liza at his side.
Ethan's last days were spent at the Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center. As three or four inches of snow blanketed the region last weekend, eight of Ethan's buddies from Beavercreek High School piled into two cars for the trip to Indianapolis.
"We're all here for him," said Mark Passage, 22, a former Army specialist who spent a year in Afghanistan.
Passage was one of five close friends — Ethan and Matt Biggers, Mike Mays and Jimmy Williams — who went into the Army straight out of high school.
All five went off to war.
Four came back safe.
(Excerpt) Read more at daytondailynews.com ...
May he rest in peace, and consolations to his family.
A sad and tragic chain of events.
May God accept and comfort this soldier and his family.
Prayers for Army Spc. Ethan Biggers & his family...~P~
just damn...
May he, indeed, rest in peace. Please pass my condolences on to the family and his friends. Let them, also, know that we are forever grateful for his service!
A new member of Heaven's Guard.
Thank you for your service, Soldier. Rest in peace Spc. Biggers.
These brave people sacrifice their lives for our security, but all politicians in Washington can think of, is how to exploit the situation in Iraq for their own political gain. It's disgusting. Thankfully, President Bush is in the White House and he can tell folks like Murtha what to do with their plans.
Thank you for your patriotism, American Soldier.
God bless you and your family, Army Spc Ethan Biggers.
Ethan deserved better.
This is very sad and we all express our sympathy for the family.
But, I wonder why they only waited a year? There are many cases when people in comas wake up after years of care.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/07/09/health/main562293.shtml
May God Bless and Comfort this family. And thank you.
"There are many cases when people in comas wake up after years of care. "
No it is an extremely rare event. I do know one person who was in a coma for a year and awoke. He weighed close to 300 lbs when he went into a coma and came out on the other side under 120 lbs. He said he had a hard time understanding why he was one of the rare ones to come out of it. He had zero memory of being in a coma. Everyone else I personally knew who had been in a long term coma (>6 weeks) never came out of it.
I join you in your simple prayer, Pandora, may this fine family find peace and comfort now. God rest Ethan for all eternity, may the perpetual light shine upon him.
Thank you, This story really brought tears to my eyes. God Bless them and may Ethan rest in peace. ~P~
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