Share on Facebook
Share on X
Share by Email
Share on Google Classroom
![Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003.]({"id":"166bd855-b51c-4333-ae25-e0e9654809c9","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"15605_600","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":60688,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-03T10:47:20.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-03T10:47:20.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #15605","alt":"Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003.","caption":"Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15605 - Veteran #5427","source":"Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003.","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/15605_600.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/15605_600.jpg","credit":"Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003.","pivot":{"mediable_id":"6351e410-5876-48a8-8726-25f2f5ba11bb","media_id":"166bd855-b51c-4333-ae25-e0e9654809c9","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":1},"translations":[{"id":"9ea91ebe-be58-4d12-8dee-14350c96d99b","media_id":"166bd855-b51c-4333-ae25-e0e9654809c9","title":"Memory Project Image #15605","alt":"Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003.","caption":"Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15605 - Veteran #5427","source":"Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003.","locale":"en","credit":"Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003."},{"id":"d4408e3e-3c73-4da9-aa47-f053a2d56c64","media_id":"166bd855-b51c-4333-ae25-e0e9654809c9","title":"Memory Project Image #15605","alt":"Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003.","caption":"Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15605 - Veteran #5427","source":"Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003.","locale":"fr","credit":"Left to right: Cpl. Laidlaw, MCpl. Matthews and MCpl. Jason Hamilton attended a memorial service for their fallen comrades at the Canadian base in Kabul on October 5, 2003."}]} "Memory Project Image #15605")
![Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003.]({"id":"1f9c6473-70af-4bac-9974-ff8546456301","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"15604_600","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":36072,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-03T10:47:19.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-03T10:47:19.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #15604","alt":"Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003.","caption":"Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15604 - Veteran #5427","source":"Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003.","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/15604_600.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/15604_600.jpg","credit":"Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003.","pivot":{"mediable_id":"6351e410-5876-48a8-8726-25f2f5ba11bb","media_id":"1f9c6473-70af-4bac-9974-ff8546456301","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":2},"translations":[{"id":"319fc0e9-6abd-4d00-86d9-38c4fc3e3874","media_id":"1f9c6473-70af-4bac-9974-ff8546456301","title":"Memory Project Image #15604","alt":"Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003.","caption":"Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15604 - Veteran #5427","source":"Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003.","locale":"en","credit":"Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003."},{"id":"4fadec2e-e0a9-43d7-9976-99813ec94b83","media_id":"1f9c6473-70af-4bac-9974-ff8546456301","title":"Memory Project Image #15604","alt":"Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003.","caption":"Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15604 - Veteran #5427","source":"Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003.","locale":"fr","credit":"Two soldiers from Dan Matthews' company, doing the honour guard for Cpl. Robbie Beerenfenger and Sgt. Robert Short, the two soldiers killed by the landmine on October 2, 2003."}]} "Memory Project Image #15604")
![Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada.]({"id":"28096017-370e-4791-9ff3-a2c0310bf48b","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"15607_600","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":81683,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-03T10:47:21.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-03T10:47:21.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #15607","alt":"Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada.","caption":"Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15607 - Veteran #5427","source":"Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada.","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/15607_600.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/15607_600.jpg","credit":"Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada.","pivot":{"mediable_id":"6351e410-5876-48a8-8726-25f2f5ba11bb","media_id":"28096017-370e-4791-9ff3-a2c0310bf48b","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":3},"translations":[{"id":"e38cfcae-8966-4f08-aaf7-f81f2ecb4d9e","media_id":"28096017-370e-4791-9ff3-a2c0310bf48b","title":"Memory Project Image #15607","alt":"Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada.","caption":"Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15607 - Veteran #5427","source":"Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada.","locale":"en","credit":"Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada."},{"id":"0b082c64-0e47-4205-a9e4-a902981481b4","media_id":"28096017-370e-4791-9ff3-a2c0310bf48b","title":"Memory Project Image #15607","alt":"Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada.","caption":"Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15607 - Veteran #5427","source":"Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada.","locale":"fr","credit":"Dan Matthews and other members of his platoon seeing off their fallen comrades as the plane prepares to take the bodies home to Canada."}]} "Memory Project Image #15607")
![Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage.]({"id":"3bfa50ff-e204-44fd-9195-f391ca2f042d","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"15606_600","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":48259,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-03T10:47:20.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-03T10:47:20.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #15606","alt":"Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage.","caption":"Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15606 - Veteran #5427","source":"Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage.","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/15606_600.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/15606_600.jpg","credit":"Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage.","pivot":{"mediable_id":"6351e410-5876-48a8-8726-25f2f5ba11bb","media_id":"3bfa50ff-e204-44fd-9195-f391ca2f042d","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":4},"translations":[{"id":"cf803924-ee40-44c5-975e-ac5677cad96b","media_id":"3bfa50ff-e204-44fd-9195-f391ca2f042d","title":"Memory Project Image #15606","alt":"Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage.","caption":"Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15606 - Veteran #5427","source":"Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage.","locale":"en","credit":"Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage."},{"id":"2ce45037-ad8e-4018-a3c3-b083859c235a","media_id":"3bfa50ff-e204-44fd-9195-f391ca2f042d","title":"Memory Project Image #15606","alt":"Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage.","caption":"Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15606 - Veteran #5427","source":"Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage.","locale":"fr","credit":"Dan Matthews' medals. Right to left they are the NATO medal for the former Yugoslavia, the Peacekeeper Service Medal, the Canadian Campaign Star for Afghanistan, and the Star of Courage."}]} "Memory Project Image #15606")
![Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed.]({"id":"719cf2d3-deac-438a-b658-8916ab2eb015","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"15603_600","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":60624,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-03T10:47:18.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-03T10:47:18.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #15603","alt":"Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed.","caption":"Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15603 - Veteran #5427","source":"Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed.","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/15603_600.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/15603_600.jpg","credit":"Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed.","pivot":{"mediable_id":"6351e410-5876-48a8-8726-25f2f5ba11bb","media_id":"719cf2d3-deac-438a-b658-8916ab2eb015","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":5},"translations":[{"id":"77478e7f-a2d3-4495-9789-9b367b0aef0d","media_id":"719cf2d3-deac-438a-b658-8916ab2eb015","title":"Memory Project Image #15603","alt":"Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed.","caption":"Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15603 - Veteran #5427","source":"Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed.","locale":"en","credit":"Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed."},{"id":"385b0305-02b1-441d-86f2-320447550431","media_id":"719cf2d3-deac-438a-b658-8916ab2eb015","title":"Memory Project Image #15603","alt":"Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed.","caption":"Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15603 - Veteran #5427","source":"Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed.","locale":"fr","credit":"Master Corporal Dan Matthews (right) and comrade Coporal Cameron Laidlaw were part of a six-person patrol in Afghanistan on October 2, 2003. The patrol hit a landmile and two Canadian soldiers were killed."}]} "Memory Project Image #15603")
![The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada.]({"id":"f83ccb55-256c-4aca-9e84-5b9ce932d0e5","disk":"s3","directory":"The-Memory-Project\/image","filename":"15608_600","extension":"jpg","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","aggregate_type":"image","size":56767,"variant_name":null,"original_media_id":null,"created_at":"2022-08-03T10:47:22.000000Z","updated_at":"2022-08-03T10:47:22.000000Z","title":"Memory Project Image #15608","alt":"The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada.","caption":"The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15608 - Veteran #5427","source":"The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada.","conversion_urls":{"original":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/15608_600.jpg"},"url":"https:\/\/d2ttikhf7xbzbs.cloudfront.net\/The-Memory-Project\/image\/15608_600.jpg","credit":"The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada.","pivot":{"mediable_id":"6351e410-5876-48a8-8726-25f2f5ba11bb","media_id":"f83ccb55-256c-4aca-9e84-5b9ce932d0e5","mediable_type":"App\\Models\\Article","tag":"gallery","order":6},"translations":[{"id":"35ec2d1d-1203-497f-84a8-397542298d45","media_id":"f83ccb55-256c-4aca-9e84-5b9ce932d0e5","title":"Memory Project Image #15608","alt":"The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada.","caption":"The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15608 - Veteran #5427","source":"The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada.","locale":"en","credit":"The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada."},{"id":"57f4a9b0-1cc7-4516-8f39-ef99d08cc1b7","media_id":"f83ccb55-256c-4aca-9e84-5b9ce932d0e5","title":"Memory Project Image #15608","alt":"The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada.","caption":"The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada.","creator":"Memory Project Image #15608 - Veteran #5427","source":"The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada.","locale":"fr","credit":"The plane carrying the bodies of Robbie Beerenfenger and Robert Short leaves from Afghanistan, bound for a memorial service in Canada."}]} "Memory Project Image #15608")
My name is Master Corporal Dan Matthews. I've been in the regular forces since 1997, when I joined in Montreal. I have served with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment – the Para Company – for about six and a half years. When I returned from Afghanistan, I switched over to Military Intelligence, where I have been for the last two and a half years, and I'm now in the midst of going to National Defence Headquarters with the Military Intelligence branch.
The things I sent in were basically photos from a really rough period in my life, where I was placed in a really awkward situation. While on patrol my section commander, Sgt. Rob Short, and one of my good friends, Rob Beerenfenger, were killed during a mine strike. We had gone out on a patrol that morning, and we come back in the camp for lunch. Our directions were changed before we had to go on the last half of our patrol, and we were going through a valley called the Jowz Valley. As we went into the Jowz Valley, it was maybe a half an hour into our patrol, my Sergeant's vehicle hit a land mine. We weren't sure what was going on. I really didn't see it all – all I heard was the big "POP". I looked over at my friends, Jason Hamilton and Cameron Laidlaw, to see what was going on, and all I saw was an Iltis jeep in a huge ball of yellow, orange and red flames. I didn't really know what to do but get out of my jeep and start looking around to see what the hell was going on, because I honestly thought we were being shot at. By the time we had made out that it was a land mine strike, I had gotten back on my radio and I had called it in, and my friend Jay Hamilton and myself started going out towards the lead vehicle. At that moment in time, we saw the driver of the vehicle step up, step out, take five steps and fall down, and start screaming at us to get him out of there. We had thought there were still mines around the area, and we started prodding towards everybody. We got the driver out in behind our jeep, gave him first aid, and then we went back out again to get our fallen comrades. Jay went for Rob Short, and I went for Rob Beerenfenger. It was the most hair-raising, frightening, make me want to be sick to my stomach moment in my life, having to go and get the dead body of a friend.
We all have friends, we all have loved ones. How come I was spared and they weren't? Why was I the only one not hurt? I still really don't understand that, but I've come to grips with the idea that there's a reason why I got off without a mark on me and why I'm still here. With that, I think part of it is so that I can relate my story to other people.