Dear Mrs. Sheehan,

First let me offer whatever meaningless condolences a complete stranger can. Although I have lost loved ones and yes even unexpectedly, I have never lost a child to such a tragedy as war. Even though our grieving times were very dissimilar I do, truly, grieve with you for your son.

There are never any words to ease the heart that are new to the ear but I do wish to offer my own none the less. I honor you and your son for what he has done. He chose to take up the call to defend all Americans in a somewhat ambiguous war. He bravely stood beside others of the same caliber and defended this great land even when he did not receive the most resound affirmation of his actions from the home front. For that I, and the nation at large, do apologize. We did not mean to offer anything but our whole hearted support to your child but a few misguided, if not heartfelt, cries resonated negatively from our shores.

Wither or not anyone agrees with what we are doing over in foreign lands we must strongly back our men and women of the armed forces to let them know their efforts are not in vain. I suspect that is the chief reason for this letter. All be it that you may never read this letter and its words perhaps will fail in encouraging your heart I still write it to the men and women who are “over there” as the saying goes.

Firstly your son, Mrs. Sheehan, is a hero. More over than just a man who gave his life in battle but for the principles he stood for and what he gave to other. Among those principles, mainly, that all men are created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights; among which is the pursuit of happiness. I know that you are familiar with this sentiment but it truly rings true and proud in the actions of your child who fought to give a region of the world clouded with hate and tyranny a chance for peace. Perhaps this democracy will fail and perhaps this war will be disregarded as a fool’s quest but your son’s actions mimic if not are the greatest of qualities a man can posses. He was truly selfless in that he gave his principal right, the right to life, so that others could have a chance at a better life.

He also gave more than just his life in this conflict but the gifts that he gave to others rather than the one that he gave for them will be the longer lasting gift. Firstly he gave to those who were oppressed under a dictator of compliance or death hope. For many generations that section of the world has been plagued by an endless hatred coupled by oppression which knows no bounds. With the lifting of oppression and his offering of supreme love now an example has been set for those who were privileged enough to know your son. Yet that was not his chief gift for to those who would prey on the innocent and feast on the indulgences of the sympathetic he gave fear. Something that tyranny has not known in quite some time.

Even though the cost was great I do not feel it was it was in vain. Even though you are crying some endless amount of tears they are equaled with tears of gratitude by those he died to liberate. I hope that we all will, with solumn hearts, remember what cost your family has endured and with you honor him by ending tyranny for all time. That in his and the names of the others who have fought and died for freedom that we will never cease to stomp out the evils of people who lord themselves over others. That at the end of our days we have honor the memory of your departed son with a resounding peace and a strong hand held up against evil; stopping it from rearing its ugly head as it has so many times in the past.

Thank you Mrs. Sheehan for the gift you gave to the world in your son. Thank you for the example of selflessness he gave to a world of hatred and greed. There is no way to repay you for that gift and it would be a wasted endeavor to try. So we honor your son’s life and honor you.

Sincerely
The United States of America
A Citizen