Taking a break from soccer to acknowledge a sacred holiday here in our nation's capital. I've lived all over the world and nowhere is Memorial Day more appropriately observed than here in the DMV. Whether it's Arlington National Cemetery, or one of the war memorials along the mall... it's a special day for many of us, our families, and our friends.
It's easy in today's world to forget the real importance of Memorial Day. I think it's important to take a few moments to really acknowledge those who this holiday is intended... whether it's someone you know, or someone you don't know.. a few minutes on Youtube or whatever social media you like, learning the story of a fallen hero is a worthwhile exercise.
For me, today, I'm remembering Christopher Slutman and his family. SSGT Slutman was killed in action in Afghanistan on April 9, 2019. While I didn't know SSGT Slutman personally, we were in Afghanistan at the same time... and I vividly recall the events and the horrible feeling amongst all U.S. and partner servicemembers at the time of the bombing that took his life.
The more we learned about SSGT Slutman, the more it became clear that he was a true hero - serving both as a U.S. Marine and an FDNY firefighter. People like him, willing to risk it all - in civilian life and military life - are what makes him a one-of-a-kind, real life hero. Tragically, SSGT Slutman left behind a widow and 3 young daughters. This memorial day, we must remember them - and never forget their battle of another kind.
The FDNY and Tunnels to Towers have done a great job of raising money to help the family, particularly with a scholarship fund for the daughters... but there can never be enough assistance. If interested, here is a link to SSGT Slutman's FDNY scholarship fund page;
https://www.fdnyfoundation.org/fdny-foundation-donates-25000-to-scholarship-fund-for-children-of-firefighter-christopher-a-slutman/
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