Soldier's son visits fire stations on 9/11 to thank firefighters

Soldier's son visits Rock Hill fire stations on 9/11 to thank firefighters
Published: September 15, 2012
By Andrew Dys
Herald columnist

Nobody made Makai Byrd go visit all six Rock Hill fire stations on Tuesday.

The 8-year-old went on the urging of his mother, sure, and she did the driving, but he wanted to go see these places himself after school.

His father was not around to go.

“My dad is in Afghanistan,” said Makai. “He’s in the Army. That’s his job.”

On Tuesday, Sept. 11, Eddie Byrd was in a place that time forgot, except the time that started with Sept. 11, 2001.

Eddie has been deployed to Iraq, twice, in the past decade. He was on a plane trying to get home eight years ago when Makai was born. Eddie did not make it in time.

People on the plane drank a toast to the soldier in uniform, cheered the birth. Eddie missed the birth of his son by two hours.

Capt. Eddie Byrd grew up in McConnells in western York County. He has been in the military for more than 20 years.
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