My fallen friend, a hero.

Sunday evening I got some devastating news. A good friend of mine from high school died while serving our country in Afghanistan.

I met Ken my first day of work at Oro Valley Country Club (OVCC for those of us in the know). Ken was a busser there and he taught me everything I would need to know; from who to avoid, what to do, what not to do, etc. Then I found out **sound the trumpets** this hottie was a drummer. So on top of him being SUPER nice to a complete stranger, he's attractive, single and a drummer...need I say anymore? I was crushing hard on him! Luckily, my crush on him brought us closer together and we became really good friends. It was pretty neat being friends with someone from another high school, I felt like I had so broadened my horizons. When CDO (my high school) played Mt. View (Ken's high school), it was cool to know that he would be there and I could go over and talk to him; that was one of the main reasons I became part of the "Band Council"...so I could go talk to Ken, I know...I'm crazy, but then again, we already knew that.

I remember when he told me he was going to join the Army. I tried so hard to talk him out of it; for purely selfish reasons. I was terrified something like this would happen, and it did. But I know that serving was what he wanted to do, and he loved it.

I haven't spoken to or seen Ken in quite some time. It's been difficult since he went to Germany; but now I'm so sad I didn't try harder. As everyone feels when someone close to them dies, I have so many things I wanted to tell him. I was so excited to be able to see him and Gary this December when he came back and visited AZ. Now, I'm getting ready to fly out to Tucson to spend time with Gary and say goodbye to a great friend who probably never knew how amazing and special I think he was.

If you would like to learn more about my friend, the hero, here are some links to his news stories. There are a few with little red cameras, those have footage of an interview with my friend and Ken's best friend, Gary. Just a warning, tissues may be required.

Friends at Giebelstadt gather to honor sergeant killed in Afghanistan
Mtn. View grad dies in Afghanistan
Mtn. View grad dies in Afghanistan copter crash
Fallen soldier remembered as dedicated man
Afghan crash ended life of aspiring chopper pilot
Local GI killed in Afghanistan 'believed in serving'
Mountain View grad killed in Afghanistan
Tucson-area man dies in Afghanistan
Arizona soldier killed in Afghan copter crash
Afghanistan helicopter crash victims remembered
Tucson Soldier Dies in Afghanistan

Goodbye Ken, you will forever be with me, in my thoughts and in my heart.