8-7-08 -- And so it went ... Rig after rig - Uniform after uniform.
There were (happily) moments of laughter, the expected and unavoidable tears, and deep faraway looks in the eyes of the first responders. Their arms raised in a seemingly unending salute, they stared ahead as wave after wave of uniforms filed in front of them into the sanctuary.
Inside, the attention to detail was as spot on as it had been leading up the the actual ceremony. (Be sure to check out the shots inside and see how they set this up. I heard lots of questions about "Where did they get that?!" Kathy & Kelly will likely remember something very similar at E-One in Ocala, FL., it sure looked like the reception desk there. In any event, it was the perfect touch.)
Can't honestly tell you what happened inside during the service as I still have a hard time dealing with that part of the farewell for our heroes, so I stay outside. I did hear snippets of the service, and heard a few laughs. That was something that struck me. I was in awe of the way the families dealt with this. Everything was appropriate. But what struck was that there was such an effort in this tribute not to let it get maudlin. You felt the lump in your throat, and it tore at your heart - even if you didn't know him very well - your heart went out to his wife holding a folded American flag and his daughters each holding a different helmet that had a place in his career. But at no point did it get so heavy as to make you want to crawl away til it was over. The efforts of so many since first hearing of this tragic loss, came to perfect fruition. And kudos to all, I got to see firsthand the hours and hours of work that went into this planning.
Every one of those in attendance know the reality of this life's calling. At any moment for any of us, it is a "There but for the grace of God go I" kind of thing. For the men & women who put themselves in harms way to protect and save the rest of us, our heroes, this is a much more real reality. Watching them go through this ritual brought to mind that many of them were having their own moment with mortality. I hope they hugged their loved ones closer, and that they do so for a long time.
And I can't imagine anyone who had the privilege of witnessing this from such a great vantage point, that wouldn't have been touched deeply. When Tacoma Fire Department Honor Guard Commander Karen Leming's voice rang out "Present Arms", and the white gloved hands rose slowly in unison you could hear a pin drop. Seeing all the different patches, and ribbons and medals, and insignia and badges all acting in kind, was more than impressive. And it didn't matter if the salute was done with military precision ... it was done done with heart.
When the Seattle Fire Pipes & Drums led the procession in, you knew this was going to be one of those moments that you never forget. And that's all we can ask ... "Never forget"
I hope these photos show you our heroes looking their best -- with their hearts and pride showing. It was quite a sight to see. And as always, an honor.
lj
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