Our son's children will be graduating from high school this June, both his daughter and son, are on their last months of finishing their last year of high school.  What I had been planning on, because I just knew our son would be coming home this month, was that I would ask the Principal of the school if our son could present the diplomas, and the kids would be surprised by this.  Never did I realize that our son would not come home.

Our son was our only son, he was such a special young man and so brave.  He showed his bravery, on August 20th, when his friends sent the post a distress call, they were being fired upon and were down to their pistols and that was bad.  Our son convinced his leader that he could go in there and help these young man and get them out of their safely.  Without hesitation, our son left, he got their in time, with the amunition he had all 12 came out of alive, except our son.  He was the only one killed. They said he never felt anything, he was killed instantly, right above his beautiful hazel eyes. He saved 12 men that day.

His children cannot understand what has happened, who can?  You go into shock and despair, they wonder "what happened to our dad"?

Yes, we are very PROUD of him, who wouldn't be right, I mean, he did what he knew he had to do?  He was a respected and loved young man, always had a "smirkey" smile, from the time he was born, till the last day.  We have been told that the camp where he was at, was renamed after him and the fitness center as well.  We were sent photo's of this honor.  One of the young man that he saved, came home for a two week leave.  He presented our daughter a 5 ft shadow box, with the flag they had immediately draped over our son and was removed as he was airlifted.  The shadow box holds the flag, so tenderly folded and the story of the flag underneath it and on the bottom it holds photo's of his last pictures taken.  One of them is where he was in the terid, smiling as he always did. He is such a handsome young man.  I wish you could have met him, he was always so polite.  He always saw the  goodness in people.  I never heard him shout or speak with anger, he was one that had that smile, always!  He loved his coffee!  Oh he always had a cup of coffee with him.

Our lives? Well, they have changed drastically, our son is not with us anymore, in spirit he is, but he is with God now.  Where do we go from here?  I was always so active adopting soldiers, being part of the soldierangel program, a blue star mother here in San Antonio, Tx.  I was always helping out anyway I could.  I am so grateful to my son, because when he joined the military and the Iraq war began, I got to know people I never knew and it is all due to my son.

He is my Hero, my son, my child, and as I always called him when he was born "my little man".

A Tribute to our son, who gave the ultimate sacrafice, on August 20, 2008.

I had been trying to find out where I could get these bracelets, that soldiers and families talk so much about, my mind has been too "confused" to think of where I could get them.  Today, an ex-neighbor called us and told me about the bracelets.  She found out about them, when she worked at Lackland AFB in San Antonio.  A soldier presented her with one.  I immediately asked her how to obtain one and that is how I came across your website.

Legacy.com has a lot of beautiful memories of our son, whenever you have a chance you are more than welcome to view them:

http://www.legacy.com/GB/GuestbookView.aspx?PersonId=116438056&PageNo=1

and I leave you with this poem, read in church during a Christmas service. This young man Sgt John Fernandez, was a close friend of our son in his early part of his tour in Afghanistan.  I never knew how many wonderful people there were in this world:

(God Bless, Mary Todd)

________________________________________________________________

They read this poem at Church this morning (Christmass'08), I remember SFC Todd:

I see the countless Christmas trees

around the world below,

With tiny lights, like heaven's stars,

reflecting on the snow.

The sight is so spectacular-

For I am spending Christmas

with Jesus Christ this year!

I hear the merry Christmas songs

that people hold so dear,

But the sounds of music can't compare

With the Christmas choir up here.

I have not words to tell you-

the joy their voices bring

For it's beyond description-

to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me-

I see the pain inside your heart,

But I am not so far away. We really aren't apart.

So be happy for me, loved ones.

You know I hold you dear.

And be glad I 'm spending Christmas

with Jesus Christ this year!

I send you each a special gift

from my heavenly home above.

I send you each a memory of my undying love.

After all, "LOVE" is the gift

more precious than pure gold.

It was always mots important

in the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other

as my Father said to do,

For I can't count the blessings

of the love He has for you!

So, have a Merry Christmas-

and wipe away that tear.

Remember, I'm spending Christmas

with Jesus Christ this year!

John Fernandez (Tewksbury, MA)

Thank you and God Bless

Mary & David Todd, Sr.

and fam