Remembering #44

Nephew Vance and the Portland Christian gang had a game at Corbett last night.

Corbett is a small town in the Cascade foothills a half hour east of us. We go to their 4th of July parade. Eric's baseball team plays them...we befriended a family of one of the Corbett players a couple years ago.

Corbett is a arch rival. Corbett fans were seen with shirts a few years ago that said "Friends don't let friends go to PC!" Eric goes to PC. He never lets this memory go.

We went to pay for admission to the game in Corbett last night. The lady collecting was none other than Pat Lucas, a friend of my uncle's, and a friend of our family.

Pat's son, Jeff Lucas, was a Navy Seal. He died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in 2005.

As I watched the high school boys play, I could see future leaders. So much potential...so much hope.

I looked across the gym and I saw jersey #44 enshrined in a glass case. His mother came over to say goodbye.

Jeff Lucas. American hero.

Remember the heroes.

Remember their families.