Anonymous Turmoiler: Grief Through The Eyes of a United States Marine

One of the hardest things in life is losing loved ones. People you call family, your best friends.

When I experienced it, it came in all different types of emotions. And to be honest, I never thought I would go through it the way I did. Last summer I got a random phone call from an old friend who was stationed in Japan. He called me and was super ecstatic to hear my voice, and asked me if I’m okay?

Like what? You’re calling me. 

He then told me he heard one of the aircrafts at my squadron had gone down. I almost threw up at the thought of thinking about that. So I did something I would forever wish I had not done. I called my go to person that I worked with for 4 years and was mentored by, who was on that plane, that did in fact crash, and it went to voicemail. It only meant one thing which confirmed my suspicion. 

As weeks went on I went to funerals of nine Marines.

Nine men just lost their lives in one instant and I had no idea what was even real anymore. I was numb to everything and anything. The tears had run dry; my body was numb. 

I’ll never forget that morning at work when I saw the few that were in my shop leaving to go out to their plane. I had even made jokes about how next week we would be drinking Mai Tais on the beaches of Oahu after doing long missions over the pacific. To this day it eats me alive knowing that they are gone.

Brothers, Fathers, and Sons.