Air Compassion for Veterans and American Airlines are honored to be able to provide free air transportation for Dianne Layfield and other Gold Star Mothers so they can commemorate their loved ones this Memorial Day 2010 in Washington D.C.
They will bind together to help heal their wounds of loss.
Today, May 26, 2010, is the birthday of Lance Corporal Travis James Layfield who would have been 26 years old if he hadn’t been killed in action in Iraq on April 6th, 2004.
During this time of war against terrorism, we have become preoccupied with the stock market, financial condition of our country and ourselves and so much more. Many have lost sight of the fact that the most valuable thing we as Americans have is our FREEDOM. Freedom comes with the priceless cost of thousands of men and woman who laid their lives on the line for us, to protect us, to uphold all we hold so dear. With only 1% of our population serving in the military and providing our security, most of us are untouched by the reality that faces the lives of these servicemen and women and their families. We go about our business and are often pro-occupied with who is going to win “Dancing with the Stars”, while the lives of these courageous innocents become shattered, changed forever and riddled with suffering.
Each serviceman and woman is connected to many family members and friends. Each of them, in some degree or another, is affected by fear for their loved ones safety. They can at any time become caregivers for a returned injured loved one. They may have to deal with unspeakable sorrow when loved ones have given their ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Dianne Layfield, a Gold Star Mother, annually goes to Washington DC to Memorial Day Celebrations to commemorate her son’s life and share with the other Gold Star families. Her son Travis Layfield, of Fremont California, was a Lance Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps. His lifetime dream was to serve his country and went directly to boot camp after graduating from high school.
Travis was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force. Three weeks after arriving in Iraq he died while serving his country on April 6, 2004, during an ambush in Al Anbar Province, which also took the lives of nine other marines and one navy medical corpsman. He was 19 years old and had just been promoted to radio operator.
On the morning of that day, the 6th of April, Dianne awoke knowing something terrible had happened. She attended an event with her daughter to take her mind off the feeling of tragedy that had come over her. It was if see knew she would meet with the three marines who were waiting at her door that afternoon. How does one take in the fact that their precious child is gone forever? No one really knows until they themselves experience that tragedy.
Through sorting out the details in her loss, Diane wrote a chapter about her son in Deborah Tarnish’s book “Parents of War – Surviving the Folded Flag”. Her therapy has been writing and producing material about coming to grips with her loss. Diane has come to the realization that Travis did not die in vain. He died doing what he wanted to do his whole life, in protecting our country in the armed forces. He died leaving a grieving mother transformed to reach out and commit the rest of her life in counseling and comforting other family members who have lost their loved ones.
A postlude to the Layfield story: Dianne found out four years ago that Travis had a son and that he is the spitting image of his dad. What a joy and miracle.
Air Compassion for Veterans and American Airlines are honored to be able to provide free air transportation for Dianne and other Gold Star Mothers so that they can commemorate this Memorial Day in Washington and bind together to help heal their wounds of loss.
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ACV is a non-profit organization that is committed to the ongoing healing process of wounded warriors by providing hundreds of flights monthly to access programs that aid in the process.
Heidi Greer-Davis is Director of Public Outreach and Financial Development for Air Compassions for Veterans and Halos and Heroes Director – office 757-271-2289
Mercy Medical Airlift administers the Air Compassion for Veterans program.
