Absolutely touching

The young widow of a USMC Lance Corporal, who was recently killed in action, is enlisting in the Army to be a combat medic.

A combat medic held the hand of her husband as he died. She wants to be able to offer the same kind of support to our soldiers and Marines in their time of need.

A Special Soldier Remembered On Memorial Day By His Wife

One year ago Melissa and Edward Garvin of Malden were celebrating their wedding. They had culminated their relationship that started in second grade and eventually led to the altar on May 26, 2006. The wedding was held with the knowledge that Marine Lance Corporal Garvin would be deploying shortly after he said “I do” to his longtime sweetheart. The fact that something could happen to her husband never entered the thought process for, at the time, 19-year old Melissa.

“Never”, said Melissa Garvin. “I knew he was leaving in September but you still never think that anything will happen to him. Last year I was extremely happy and this year definitely not.”

The unthinkable happened on October 4 2006. Lance Corporal Edward Garvin was killed in the Anbar Province of Iraq while on combat operations. . It brought an end to a life that had promise. He was special according to Melissa Garvin in personality and what he wanted to accomplish.

The death of a soldier would hit any family member hard. Age and experience mean nothing when trying to cope. Sometimes in life death is expected because of illness. It does not make things easier but that scenario allows for preparation. A death in combat offers no warning. It comes knocking at the door with immediacy. And the immediacy hits hard. It hit hard for Melissa Garvin.

“It was surreal”, she says. “It was all a blur. It was like watching a movie and sometimes it does not seem real. You sort of expect him to come through the door. But you know he is not going to. It is definitely not easy.”

“It may sound strange”, she says “but the strength comes from being together with him since second grade. He still pushes me to keep going. I know for him I need to keep going. I want to make sure that he is always remembered and it is what makes me keep going every single day.”

Melissa Garvin’s immediate future involves giving back. Her late husband was a Boy Scout and worked for the Boy Scouts before he became a marine. She ran a fundraiser recently for the T.L. Storer Scout Camp in Barnstead, New Hampshire and started a scholarship which will send 11 kids to the camp. She is also headed to the camp June 16th to redo the camp using the money she raised.

After that there will not be much time until July 11th. It is a date that is significant because she leaves for basic training. Melissa has joined the army. If you are asking why you are not alone. She says everyone asks. Her reasons for enlisting of course do have something to do with what happened in October but not in the way you might imagine.

“I did it for many reasons,” she says. “One is because what helps me is knowing my husband did not suffer after talking to the medic that actually worked on him. I wanted to be able to do the same thing for other people. If I could go over there, which is my goal to go to Iraq, and I could help one family member not feel the pain I feel every day it will be worth it.”

This story is about Melissa and Edward Garvin. It is symbolic however of many families in the United States on Memorial Day 2007. It is meant to call attention to our fallen heroes on a day when millions are at a barbecue, on a golf course, and contemplating several great months of pleasure. The reason we can do what we want to do is because of the sacrifices these “Heroes” are making.

Amazing.

Godspeed, Melissa Garvin.

Video at CNN via Hot Air.