Posted on 06/17/2004 7:00:47 PM PDT by irish guard
Mourning Families Touched by President
By Diane Lacey Allen The Ledger diane.allen@theledger.com
Petty Officer Ron Ginther was the stern one. He always helped 8-year-old Alayna with her homework, searching the Internet for tips on preparing for the FCAT. He was the backbone of the Auburndale family.
So when the Seabee was killed by mortar fire last month, Donna Ginther worried how she would carry on without her husband. She was terrified her daughter would grow up to be a different adult without Ginther to lead the way.
Donna Ginther told President George W. Bush about her fears Wednesday when he met with families of fallen servicemen following a speech to troops at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.
"When I told him that, he pressed his forehead against mine and said, `You can do it, and we'll all help you through it,"' she said.
Donna Ginther took his words to heart.
the rest of the article can be found at the Source URL
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Mourning Families Touched by President By Diane Lacey Allen The Ledger diane.allen@theledger.com Petty Officer Ron Ginther was the stern one. He always helped 8-year-old Alayna with her homework, searching the Internet for tips on preparing for the FCAT. He was the backbone of the Auburndale family. So when the Seabee was killed by mortar fire last month, Donna Ginther worried how she would carry on without her husband. She was terrified her daughter would grow up to be a different adult without Ginther to lead the way. Donna Ginther told President George W. Bush about her fears Wednesday when he met with families of fallen servicemen following a speech to troops at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. "When I told him that, he pressed his forehead against mine and said, `You can do it, and we'll all help you through it,"' she said. Donna Ginther took his words to heart. "It wasn't something he was saying to make me feel better. Like trying to pacify me and walk away and forget it," she said. "He wasn't afraid to touch you. It wasn't like he was better than us. He kissed us. He cried with us. When I was crying, he cried." Ron Payne of Lakeland was just as taken with Bush. Payne lost his son, 23-year-old Ron Payne, last month during an ambush in Afghanistan. Payne saw a sensitive president when Bush tried to comfort a distraught father during his meeting with grieving families. "President Bush just kept hugging him and hugging him," Payne said. "He came across as very personable, a caring man. I didn't see any politics in any of this. I was very, very impressed." Bush talked separately with each of the 10 families, going over the contributions of young men like the 6-foot-7 Ron Payne who played basketball for Mulberry High. Bush posed for pictures and signed autographs. Payne gave him a photo of his son, and Bush took it with him. The president said he was going to put it in his library. "He was very compassionate with everyone," Payne said. "He said, `I want to cry with you, laugh with you. Take as much time as you need. We'll shed tears. If you want to, laugh. I'm here for you." Lakeland's Kathy Seymour, Ron Payne's mother, was overwhelmed by Bush's gesture of support. The mother had gone to Tampa not knowing what she might say, admitting beforehand that she was torn about the role of American military in the Middle East. "He (Bush) just hugged me, patted me on the back and told me to hang in there. And said he was sorry for my loss . . .," Seymour said. "A lot of the mothers cried. And wives, they cried. Nobody yelled. Nobody was angry. In fact it went really well." Seymour said she was touched by Bush's sincerity, concern and sympathy. And his teary eyes. "I feel a little bit better now," she said. Bush also managed to lighten Donna Ginther's burden. He did it by not only offering help but by making her daughter happy. "George," Alayna shouted out when Bush was nearby, only to be prodded by Donna Ginther to be more formal. "President George," said Alayna. Alayna couldn't wait to tell the president that his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush, had remembered her birthday. Alayna turned 9 just after the death of her father. Jeb Bush sent seven presents to the little girl -- a box filled with gifts such as a jewelry maker, sidewalk chalk and indoor hopscotch. President Bush made his way over to Alayna and heard what Jeb Bush had done. He said he hoped she had a happy birthday. After listening to President Bush talk about fighting terrorists on their turf, Donna Ginther said she better understood why her husband was so determined to go to Iraq because he also thought it might prevent another 9/11. "She (Alayna) was telling me on the way home, `I'm so proud of Daddy," and I said, `Yes, he's a hero," Donna Ginther said. "And she said, `I'm proud of him because he let us meet the president.' "I said, `He sent (Bush) right to us, and she said, `He knew we needed somebody like him in our lives.' And it's true."
Lovely! Thanks so much for posting it.
Oh lord....I am sorry.....please delete that awful unformatted post above....I did it right in the first place and the unformatted thing is an abomination.
Don't be sorry. Thanks so much for posting this article. It's lovely. This is our President. God bless him, and protect him.
Its the thought that counts
Petty Officer Ron Ginther was the stern one. He always helped 8-year-old Alayna with her homework, searching the Internet for tips on preparing for the FCAT. He was the backbone of the Auburndale family.
So when the Seabee was killed by mortar fire last month, Donna Ginther worried how she would carry on without her husband. She was terrified her daughter would grow up to be a different adult without Ginther to lead the way.
Donna Ginther told President George W. Bush about her fears Wednesday when he met with families of fallen servicemen following a speech to troops at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.
"When I told him that, he pressed his forehead against mine and said, `You can do it, and we'll all help you through it,"' she said.
Donna Ginther took his words to heart.
"It wasn't something he was saying to make me feel better. Like trying to pacify me and walk away and forget it," she said. "He wasn't afraid to touch you. It wasn't like he was better than us. He kissed us. He cried with us. When I was crying, he cried."
Ron Payne of Lakeland was just as taken with Bush.
Payne lost his son, 23-year-old Ron Payne, last month during an ambush in Afghanistan.
Payne saw a sensitive president when Bush tried to comfort a distraught father during his meeting with grieving families.
"President Bush just kept hugging him and hugging him," Payne said. "He came across as very personable, a caring man. I didn't see any politics in any of this. I was very, very impressed." Bush talked separately with each of the 10 families, going over the contributions of young men like the 6-foot-7 Ron Payne who played basketball for Mulberry High.
Bush posed for pictures and signed autographs. Payne gave him a photo of his son, and Bush took it with him. The president said he was going to put it in his library.
"He was very compassionate with everyone," Payne said. "He said, `I want to cry with you, laugh with you. Take as much time as you need. We'll shed tears. If you want to, laugh. I'm here for you."
Lakeland's Kathy Seymour, Ron Payne's mother, was overwhelmed by Bush's gesture of support.
The mother had gone to Tampa not knowing what she might say, admitting beforehand that she was torn about the role of American military in the Middle East.
"He (Bush) just hugged me, patted me on the back and told me to hang in there. And said he was sorry for my loss . . .," Seymour said. "A lot of the mothers cried. And wives, they cried. Nobody yelled. Nobody was angry. In fact it went really well."
Seymour said she was touched by Bush's sincerity, concern and sympathy. And his teary eyes.
"I feel a little bit better now," she said.
Bush also managed to lighten Donna Ginther's burden.
He did it by not only offering help but by making her daughter happy.
"George," Alayna shouted out when Bush was nearby, only to be prodded by Donna Ginther to be more formal.
"President George," said Alayna.
Alayna couldn't wait to tell the president that his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush, had remembered her birthday.
Alayna turned 9 just after the death of her father. Jeb Bush sent seven presents to the little girl -- a box filled with gifts such as a jewelry maker, sidewalk chalk and indoor hopscotch.
President Bush made his way over to Alayna and heard what Jeb Bush had done. He said he hoped she had a happy birthday.
After listening to President Bush talk about fighting terrorists on their turf, Donna Ginther said she better understood why her husband was so determined to go to Iraq because he also thought it might prevent another 9/11.
"She (Alayna) was telling me on the way home, `I'm so proud of Daddy," and I said, `Yes, he's a hero," Donna Ginther said. "And she said, `I'm proud of him because he let us meet the president.'
"I said, `He sent (Bush) right to us, and she said, `He knew we needed somebody like him in our lives.' And it's true."
. . . thank you for posting this incredible article (I'm still wiping the tears)!
[FYI: I will post a link to this thread at the DOSE!]
Thanks, I'm just a putz when it comes to HTML and I goofed up the full text post......I find these thype of articles in small town papers all the time and know the media refuses to air this stuff. Bush deserves credit for being a decent man and I intend to post these every time I see them.
********************************************************
Published Thursday, June 17, 2004
Mourning Families Touched by President
By Diane Lacey Allen
The Ledger
diane.allen@theledger.com
Petty Officer Ron Ginther was the stern one. He always helped 8-year-old Alayna with her homework, searching the Internet for tips on preparing for the FCAT. He was the backbone of the Auburndale family.
So when the Seabee was killed by mortar fire last month, Donna Ginther worried how she would carry on without her husband. She was terrified her daughter would grow up to be a different adult without Ginther to lead the way.
Donna Ginther told President George W. Bush about her fears Wednesday when he met with families of fallen servicemen following a speech to troops at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.
"When I told him that, he pressed his forehead against mine and said, `You can do it, and we'll all help you through it,"' she said.
Donna Ginther took his words to heart.
"It wasn't something he was saying to make me feel better. Like trying to pacify me and walk away and forget it," she said. "He wasn't afraid to touch you. It wasn't like he was better than us. He kissed us. He cried with us. When I was crying, he cried."
Ron Payne of Lakeland was just as taken with Bush.
Payne lost his son, 23-year-old Ron Payne, last month during an ambush in Afghanistan.
Payne saw a sensitive president when Bush tried to comfort a distraught father during his meeting with grieving families.
"President Bush just kept hugging him and hugging him," Payne said. "He came across as very personable, a caring man. I didn't see any politics in any of this. I was very, very impressed." Bush talked separately with each of the 10 families, going over the contributions of young men like the 6-foot-7 Ron Payne who played basketball for Mulberry High.
Bush posed for pictures and signed autographs. Payne gave him a photo of his son, and Bush took it with him. The president said he was going to put it in his library.
"He was very compassionate with everyone," Payne said. "He said, `I want to cry with you, laugh with you. Take as much time as you need. We'll shed tears. If you want to, laugh. I'm here for you."
Lakeland's Kathy Seymour, Ron Payne's mother, was overwhelmed by Bush's gesture of support.
The mother had gone to Tampa not knowing what she might say, admitting beforehand that she was torn about the role of American military in the Middle East.
"He (Bush) just hugged me, patted me on the back and told me to hang in there. And said he was sorry for my loss . . .," Seymour said. "A lot of the mothers cried. And wives, they cried. Nobody yelled. Nobody was angry. In fact it went really well."
Seymour said she was touched by Bush's sincerity, concern and sympathy. And his teary eyes.
"I feel a little bit better now," she said.
Bush also managed to lighten Donna Ginther's burden.
He did it by not only offering help but by making her daughter happy.
"George," Alayna shouted out when Bush was nearby, only to be prodded by Donna Ginther to be more formal.
"President George," said Alayna.
Alayna couldn't wait to tell the president that his brother, Gov. Jeb Bush, had remembered her birthday.
Alayna turned 9 just after the death of her father. Jeb Bush sent seven presents to the little girl -- a box filled with gifts such as a jewelry maker, sidewalk chalk and indoor hopscotch.
President Bush made his way over to Alayna and heard what Jeb Bush had done. He said he hoped she had a happy birthday.
After listening to President Bush talk about fighting terrorists on their turf, Donna Ginther said she better understood why her husband was so determined to go to Iraq because he also thought it might prevent another 9/11.
"She (Alayna) was telling me on the way home, `I'm so proud of Daddy," and I said, `Yes, he's a hero," Donna Ginther said. "And she said, `I'm proud of him because he let us meet the president.'
"I said, `He sent (Bush) right to us, and she said, `He knew we needed somebody like him in our lives.' And it's true."
Rin-I bet the girls and guys who follow the daily life of our President would love to read this story.
You are kind to fix my mess. Thanks.
A fellow Wisconsinite to the rescue....thanks, I appreciate the assistance.
Heartwarming ! It is worth a second read anyhow !
They get the real essence of this wonderful man!!
Thanks for posting this story. Keep em comin, especially for those of us who live in the Northeast and will NEVER see any stories like this in the NY Slimes or the Boston Glob.
Formatted, unformatted, whatever....
A beautiful story -- thank you for finding it and sharing it.
what a great article. This guy gets it; we can trust him to be tough and also know how to find the words to help a little girl and her Mom get thru their worst nightmare. I think I am smitten.
*smile*
This is a wonderful, touching story. If you have or develop a ping list, I'd love to be added to it.
Thank you so much for posting it.
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