Justin Mitchell
These are our family members with prior service records (Kev's side): uncle Bill - Chief Petty Officer / Navy; uncle Gene - Master Chief Petty Officer / Navy; aunt Armanda & aunt Louise BOTH worked directly under J. Edgar for the FBI in the 60's; etc.
But the family member that was SINGLE HANDEDLY MORE PROUD of me being in the Army than the rest combined: GRANT IRWIN!!! My sister Sam planned a surprise event for him while at school when I was on leave from Iraq, in which we all 3 got emotional over and spent some much needed time tg! (Quick side note but to stay back on point: It's funny me and Sam have literal identical personalities, but tbh I don't think she knows how much that meant to me bc of the spot it has in my mind at my happy place. I will forever be indebted to her for that!!)
Grant was an old soul! The empathetic views, the pride, and the deep beliefs he posessed were so much more mature and complex than that of the general pop. of his peer group.
The mourning period is generally always going to be a normal human experience regardless of the amount of time one stays in it. But for me, after that period is a bit better maintained; there will be a GREAT CELEBRATION because I believe wholeheartedly that we all just had the experience of witnessing something greater than our wildest dreams. We may not realize or understand the full extent of it yet, but I truly believe we all just got to witness Omnipotence itself in the flesh. An energy so strong that this realm or realities darkness couldn't dim their light! And as long as I have a voice left in me, I will brag about the greatness of my nephews to anybody who wants to discover greatness in themselves!!!