Body of Franklin soldier Jason Edens returns home to family
May. 4, 2012
Written by
Vicky Travis
The Tennessean
The body of Army Spc. Jason K. Edens of Franklin was flown home Thursday morning, to Smyrna Airport, where about 100 people, including friends, family and members of the Patriot Guard, had gathered to pay respects.
Ashley Edens says goodbye to her husband, Cpl. Jason Edens. / Cpt. Darrin Haas / Tennessee National GuardEdens, a 2007 Franklin High School graduate and aspiring Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent, was injured on April 15 during an enemy attack on his unit in Laghaman province in Afghanistan. He died April 26 at Walter Reed Hospital in Maryland.
“He was a remarkable guy,” said Jan Edens, Jason’s stepmother, who acted as a family spokeswoman. “He was a fun guy, loved by everyone, and so sweet. … I can’t put it all into words.”
At first, the family was going to keep the arrival very private. But once their military liaison let them know people wanted to come, they decided to open it up.
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Up until this moment, you didn't know Ashely anymore than you knew her husband but as of today, this painful moment captured by the lens of a camera has been spread across nations. The Daily Mail UK picked up on the story.
They spend their days trying to live as normal as possible with the same problems the rest of us have but for them, the families of deployed servicemen and women, they worry about what the next moment can bring.
You see them in your office answering the phone but you don't know how often they worry that phone call may be the one with the bad news.
You see them in the grocery store with a couple of kids in the shopping cart as they hold a product in their hands and think about how much their loved one loved to eat it and the rush of worry pops into their brain.
This picture reminds all of us that men and women are paying the price for all we have today along with their families. We honor them on Memorial Day but the rest of the year we just forget all about them. Pictures like this, wake us up. What will it take to keep us awake and aware of them the rest of the year?
Ashley is my daughter and Jason is my son-in-law; I never want their sacrifice to be forgotten or taken for granted. I hope the message this beautiful and haunting picture conveys continues to spread until every soldier from every nation fighting any battle is home safely.
ReplyDeleteI am very sorry your family is going through this and you are all in my prayers. I think that your prayer has been answsered by the response on this picture across the web. It has touched a lot of people and has them remembering there are men and women paying the price in Afghanistan still today. It reminded them that all of those serving have families back home. I just wish they wouldn't need to be reminded like this.
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