Matt Maupin, You are not Forgotten!

SSgt Matt Maupin

POW/MIA? April 9, 2004

Yesterday marked the fourth anniversary of the death of my nephew, Mike, in Kuwait. Mike was my sister’s only child. His loss has devastated her and the rest of the family. It has been especially hard on his four little girls. My Mom, Mike’s Gram, has changed outwardly the most. She has aged dramatically, almost overnight. Of course, she also had open heart surgery again. Finally, she is beginning to start to come out the other side. My sister, well, somehow she goes on in “silence!” I feel the most sorrow for her. It is incomprehensible to me how she has managed to go on as she has after losing Mike. But, the life has left her eyes. At least a huge part of it has. I fear her eyes will always carry that empty look they now have all the time!

Can you imagine how Matt Maupin’s family must feel? I know I can’t. The constant not knowing if your child is still alive would be unbearable, let alone worrying about his health and safety. Is he being treated OK? Does he know he is not forgotten? Has he given up hope? Will he ever be brought home to us again? These and many other questions would be my constant companions for as long as it took to finally know, “What has happened to my son!”

I know it is hard to think about these things, especially when our children also are in harms way or we have lost our own child. But, please, whenever you get a spare moment, say a prayer for both Matt and his family. Pray for his return. Pray for his “safe” return. But, most of all, pray for the family finally having some closure over Matt’s whereabouts.

I think the unknown is the hardest suffering of all for a parent!

~ by devildog6771 on March 6, 2008.