For the past two weeks I have been in communication via telephone with one of my sons best friends. PFC Chris Gross was injured one day by an RPG attack some months ago. In speaking with him I have a much better insight on what our men and women endure while deployed to Afghanistan. Chris was medivaced out and later found himself at Walter Reed where he is recovering from his wounds.
It was a bit weird really. I received a comment on the Blogg and then I received an email from Chris. In the subject line it read "Mr. Arnone Don't delete Alex's bud" and that got my attention. He went on to tell me who he was and he and Alex were pretty close back in Italy and Afghanistan. So I gave him my number and the next day he called me up. It almost seemed like we were in a room together, me listening to his stories and almost as if we knew each other from years back. We have been staying in touch with one another since. It's funny really, as a father of a son you think you know him. I found out that I may have known him but now he is a different person than the one that went off to war. I don't mean that in a negative by all means. The things that Chris has said my son has done just blows me away. I guess when you care about the soldier to your right and the one to the left you are capable of doing just about anything. In any case, Chris will be rejoining the 173rd back in Italy soon until he fully recovers. In case you are reading this Chris, always remember this "any man that calls my son his brother is a son to me" This page is dedicated to you PFC Chris Gross "Airborne!"
Larry Arnone
San Francisco
AKA Bluestardad (and I want to keep it that way)
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3 comments:
Great story, as one of the mom's who has written you before I always enjoy reading your site. I feel so attached and connected to the men serving with my son as well, not only on a first name basis, or the stories from my son..but from the families I have connected with either by email or weekly phone calls to see how things are going. Eagerly waiting for Brian's leave and the countdown is on for 2008. Vicenza here we come!
Battle Hard
Will keep you and all of them in my prayers,
Linda
Thank you so very much for your service to our nstion Chris. If there is ever anything you need...please let me know....Larry has my contact info
Vicki...skysoldier mom
i love chris soo much and i miss him he is the best guy in the world and i wish i knew where he was chris if you see this you should know who this is just know after all this time there is at least one person who will always love you no matter wat u do.
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