Felicia

Before we left for the MWSA Conference in Orlando I sent an email to someone who lives near there in the hopes of finally meeting her. We had only talked to her on the phone and via email....after she located us because she wanted to talk to Eddie about her brother Danny.

Saturday morning we attended MWSA workshops...but soon it was nearly noon and...I was feeling a little nervous. Eddie probably was too, but wouldn't say so. At least by now he has come to realize that all that happened on that August day in 1965 was not his fault. He had been point man...but he had done everything "by the book". That day 3 men loss both legs and two good men died.

In August of 1965 Felicia was just 10 years old when she was told that her brother Danny would not be coming home alive. I remember that my youngest sister Lois was only 9 when our father died...how lost she appeared as she tried to grasp that her daddy was gone forever. It is hard for any of us to lose a loved one...but when we are older we understand those things do happen...it isn't so for the young, they don't understand. When Felicia first contacted us she wanted to know all that Eddie could tell her about the time he spent with him. And of course the events of that day.

And now we were about to meet her and her husband. She put us right at ease with a big hug and beautiful smile. She was glad to finally meet us as we were her! After a few brief words we went into the hotel restaurant, had a good lunch and visited for a long while.

It is good when families can visit with those their loved ones served with and it is good for the one who served with their loved one. Not only is there healing but also it is an assurance that the one who has paid that ultimate price will NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.

Eddie gets a BIG HUG! What a day! We are so happy to have finally met Danny's family.

Connie Beesley