Support-a-Platoon
Support our Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
A Letter from Pastor Bob
Dear friend,
I arrived Tuesday afternoon at San Antonio airport and was sent to
the USO for a shuttle to the "burn center" at Brooke Army Hospital.
There was a mother and sister of a wounded soldier also waiting. I asked
them why they were there, and the mother said she had a wounded son. I
asked her what had happened, and she told me he had been burned. "How?"
I asked. "He was burned in a Bradley vehicle." "Last Wednesday?" I
asked. "Yes." "Hmmm, I think our boys were on the same vehicle." What a
coincidence. Her name is Esther, and her daughter Alicia. Both
African-American.
Soon I was at the hospital with Andrew. He looked great, albeit with
blisters on his reddened face, his nose like Rudolf, and his hands
covered with "healing gloves." In the same room with him were two of the
men who had been on his Bradley (a mini tank). After about two hours,
one of the men asked to speak with me. He gave me a speech about "Nolan"
(they call each other by there last names). He said that Andrew had
behaved with bravery he had never seen before. He told me that Andrew
had saved a man's life in the fire after the explosion by an IED
(improvised explosive device). A few minutes later, the other man asked
for me. He was Andrew's sergeant, and the commander of the Bradley. He
said, "Mr. Nolan, you need to realize that your son is a hero. He went
into the Bradley and pulled a man out who could not get out. The man
(Autry), was on fire, and stuck in the back of the vehicle. Andrew put
the flames on himself out, then went and dragged Autry out and onto the
ground. Autry was on fire, all his clothes were already burned off. When
Andrew could not get him extinguished, he put out the fire with his
hands. That's why his hands are burned. He laid his life down. Andrew is
a hero."
I had already heard it second hand, but now I was hearing it from the
"horse's mouth." I was stunned and proud and it felt like a dream.
Minutes later, three women walked into the room saying, "Where is
Nolan?" They came to Andrew and said, "Thank you for saving our son's
life. He would be dead if it wasn't for you." It was Esther and Alicia.
There son / brother is Autry. God had us meet at the airport. There was
a third woman, also. Iris, Autry's wife. They looked at me and said,
"What are YOU doing here?" We had already prayed together in the
shuttle. I said, "I am Andrew's father." They said, "Your son saved our
boy's life."
Words fail. My son was already a hero, but God gave him a chance to
know it through a heroic deed. I am beyond proud. God has blessed us
with a brave son. He doesn't talk about it, but he knows what happened.
You just don't know how you will respond until the crisis happens. Then
you know what's inside of you. God, help me be brave, so I can help
someone when it counts.
Yesterday, I visited Autry. He is completely immobilized. Second and
third degree burns over much of his body. Intensive care. His very black
face is half white, because the skin was burned off. He kept saying,
"Nolan saved my life. Tell him I love him. Tell him thank you." It took
all my self-control to not sob. But I knew he needed me to hear him, not
to cry. I told him how brave he is, and that God had given the whole
crew a gift of life, and the gift of Honor.
I have prayed around bedsides. I have encouraged burdened parents and
siblings. I have made instant "best" friends. I have lived a dream the
past two days. My son is a man of honor. I will take this memory to my
grave, and into eternity. Please forgive my bragging, but my report it
true, and not exaggerated.
Last night, they released Andrew from the hospital. He will be on
therapy for the next couple of weeks as his burns heal, then will be
able to come home for 30 days convalescent leave.
It seems trite to thank you for your prayers. THANK YOU for your
prayers. Pray for the other four men in the Bradley, like Autry, and
Andrew's sergeant. One man is so wounded that they had to leave him in
Germany. He may not make it, with possibly 80% of his body burned.
Heroes, indeed. They are fighting for freedom. Honest men can
disagree about the war. But it is ALWAYS right to fight for freedom.
God show us how to fight for spiritual freedom, and to worship the
Lord in Spirit and in Truth. And to lay down our lives for our friends,
like Jesus did.
Love, humility, gratitude,
Bob N
Andrew Nolan
Andrew and Pastor Bob (aka dad)
Picture of Joshua, one of the guys that Andrew pulled out of the fire:
Bible Briefings
"interpreting God to human beings"
PO Box 183
Poway, CA 92074
858-395-2775
www.Biblebriefings.com
Bob Nolan
|
