 |
|
|
Fathers in the Service
Senior Master Sergeant – John C. “Clay” Gardner As a soldier in Afghanistan, when I think of Father’s Day, my first thoughts are not about my personal relationship with my father or my son’s relationship with me. My initial reflections are on the gratitude I have for the founding fathers of the United States of America—those who built our great nation and fought for freedom for the original colonies and along the frontier. They risked their lives, fortunes, and honor to establish a sovereign nation where citizens could have liberty while pursuing a life of happiness. Those who sacrificed so much to establish the freedom and liberty of this country have blessed the lives of its citizens for generations, and the events surrounding the founding of America established an environment that allowed the gospel of Jesus Christ to be restored.
Major Brian Crandall Soon after arriving on the military base in Mosel, Iraq, it was not long before I experienced my first mortar attack. I was in a building as thunderous explosions took the base by surprise. I had a tremendous amount of fear and was not sure what to do. I noticed a sergeant nearby who calmly walked down the stairs and stood in the center of the building. I instinctively followed the sergeant while doing my best to not show my anxiety. Over the next several weeks I learned that mortar attacks were common and although very loud, they were usually brief and seldom caused substantial damage. On Father’s Day 2005, I experienced a mortar attack I will certainly never forget. After being deployed on the base for a few months, I was awakened at about 5:30 AM by a mortar attack. I remember thinking, “It’s Father’s Day . . . I just want to sleep in. Usually I get breakfast in bed, and now this!” So, I rolled onto the floor and crawled under my bed. I placed my body armor and helmet over me, grabbed my pillow and prepared myself to ride out the attack. Typically a mortar assault consists of six to eight mortars impacting every thirty to forty seconds. This time the mortars were incoming every ten seconds and I counted twenty-two separate mortar explosions. It was a coordinated attack striking locations all around the base. I remember thinking how this time one could really hit me. After an intense several minutes, there was a sustained period of quiet. Once I determined the attack was over, I went to offer my assistance where needed. Thankfully, no personnel were hurt and only minor fire damage was sustained. The attack turned out to be the largest base assault of the year. As I celebrate Father’s Day in the future, the one that will always be foremost in my mind is the one I spent under mortar fire.
The Quintuplet Miracle Living a normal and pleasantly private life in a quiet suburb of Chicago was an ideal start for my young family. However, it would not be long before this would change. We were about to become the nation’s favorite leading news story. Our story began when Josh and I met while he served in the marines and I in the navy. We married and were later sealed in the Washington D.C. Temple. Following his service with the marines, Josh joined the police force and I stayed home to raise our two children. As we continued to build our lives, we felt it was time to expand our little family. After the events of September 11, 2001, Josh decided to re-enlist with the marines, knowing he would likely be deployed. After his enlistment, I received the news that I was pregnant—with more than one child. The Marine Corps gave special permission for Josh to stay home. However, after much prayer, neither Josh nor I felt he should. We knew that other husbands and fathers were far away in Iraq, and it was their turn to come home. “It was the least I could do to let them come home to their families,” Josh said on the ABC news program Good Morning America. With Josh deployed in Iraq, I had to experience my progressing trimesters alone. This unique pregnancy made each of the scheduled prenatal ultrasounds visits a déjà vu moment. Each time the ultrasound technician peeked to see how the unborn babies were developing, another unexpected little head seemed to appear. Every time I went to the doctor, another baby, then another, and yet another was discovered. After noticing a fifth child I told the doctor, “I’m not coming back!” With Josh gone, I truly had to walk through every day by faith. That is how I made it through this pregnancy. The doctors frequently shared with me the bleak survival rates of quintuplet pregnancies. During this time I had to completely trust God, turn it all over to him, and leave it in his hands. I found strength in going to the temple and through a lot of prayers. Knowing of my babies’ uncertain futures, I treasured every day I was blessed to carry them. While in the hospital I found strength and in an inspirational quote painted on the wall of the hospital’s intensive care unit. It said, “From small things great things can happen.” These words provided me with significant comfort because they reminded me of the words of Alma, “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6). I needed that scripture. Applying this scripture to my situation empowered me during this challenging time.When I was only twenty-six weeks pregnant, on October 11, 2004, I delivered three daughters and two sons. Their birth weights ranged from 1 pound, 15 ounces, to 1 pound, 9 ounces. Josh was seriously wounded by mortar fire in Fallujah only five days before the babies’ arrival. On October 12, unaware that he was a new father, Josh awoke from a coma in the National Naval Medical Center in Maryland. Due to his severe injuries, he was not able to hold his children for another three weeks. Sadly, he never had the opportunity to hold Addyson Juanita, the only daughter who didn’t survive. She passed away on October 30 after contracting an infection. The pregnancy and delivery of the “Horton Quintuplets” made national headlines. The notoriety received by the quintuplets caused me to refer to my babies as “America’s babies.” It has been a privilege to share them. With Josh serving our country, good-heated people from near and far took it upon themselves to serve our family. Members of our ward—home teachers, our bishop, and friends—formed what was affectionately named the “Horton Task Force.” Senior ward members became surrogate grandparents to the older two children and cleaned our house every other day. The Primary collected nickels, and the Young Men and Young Women made Christmas decorations and decorated our home. Assignments were given to run errands, handle media attention, and sort the growing number of donations. Large and small companies also displayed incredible generosity. A new, six-bedroom home was customized for our needs and then donated to our family. Home appliances, furniture, and computers filled our home at no cost. The Ford Motor Company stopped by the home to donate a twelve-passenger van. (As a bonus surprise, inside the van were Josh’s mother and sisters and my parents!) Our relatives’ travel expenses were paid by the ward. The cable network A&E aired many of these events during a broadcast titled At Home with the Brave. Further Christlike acts of charity were reminiscent of the parable of the widow’s mite. One day as I visited the bank, I was presented with a large bag of handmade blankets. Accompanying the blankets was a simple note explaining their loving origin. It read, “I do not have money, but I have talent, and I have time. I wanted to make these blankets for you.” I consider our quintuplets to be a miracle in more ways than one. Hundreds of people have been united through acts of service that have known no limits. I have witnessed how our babies have blessed the lives of so many. They were sent here all at once for a reason. I am truly humbled to be their mother. I always have been. As I made the adjustment from a family of four to a family of eight, I received strength from words I carefully inscribed on the wall of the babies’ room: “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass.” LDS Living
|
Today's date: March 19, 2010
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
|||||||||
| © 2010, LDS Living, Inc., All rights reserved. | ||||||||||
