The night John went missing Steve and I were heartbroken Emily was in Florida without family. But she was certainly not alone. She went over to Tonia & Andre's house and stayed all night. These were some of John and Emily's dearest friends who we met when we visited in Novemeber. I not only love them for what they did for us in Florida, but especially for the good friends they were to John and Em. John adored their little girls and the girls felt the same love toward John. These were the people Emily turned to when her world was sent into a tailspin. She stayed with them all Friday night, and the morning of the accident Tonia had the unspeakably difficult job of taking Em to the accident scene. It was Tonia I talked to on Saturday morning and I will never forget Emily's cries of anguish in the background. How I wanted to wrap my arms around her and take some of the pain away, but I was miles away. I'll never forget my gratitude for Tonia at that time, knowing Emily was with people who loved her and wanted to find John as bad as she did.
They continued to show the same love towards us the entire week we were there. When Andre offered to help in any way, I doubt he thought it would include driving us to the ER at 3:00 in the morning when I couldn't sleep and then assuring me I was strong enough to tell my story just one more time to a medical professional in that early morning fight to get help sleeping. Andre spoke so wonderfully of the John he knew at the memorial service and the funeral- the John who loved his wife, who loved children, and who would have been the most wonderful father. Our entire family was thrilled to hear they were flying to UT to be at the funeral with us.
I watched the news report of the moment they found John's body (as we were in the middle of a volunteer search effort with news cameras rolling) with some hesitancy as one of my most devastating moments was being recorded by news stations. My fear subsided when the first face I saw was Tonia's, wearing the shock we all felt, wiping tears as if she had lost her own brother, truly "mourning with those who mourn." I am forever grateful for that footage of our dear friend that made me realize I had an entire nation of friends and family mourning the loss with us.
Tonia threw a baby shower the night of the memorial service, with about 48 hour notice :). She and Andre gave Emily and John Jr books that reminded them of his daddy. When I saw they had given Shell Silverstien's "The Giving Tree" my heart was touched as I knew they knew my John. They said John taught them about serving and how to serve.
In the military you can be blessed to find friends and become as close to them as your family, as you are often states, even countries away from family. These friends knew John less than a year, yet they will always be family to us for the love, friendship and kindness they gave our family and especially our dear John and Emily.
1 comment:
Oh Julie, I don't even know what to say. We have come to love you and your entire family so much. John and Emily were such good friends and touched our lives so much and we were glad to be able to do anything we could. Thank you for your kind words. We are blessed to know you.
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