Chad rides with many members in the club...

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I've been reading this thread over the last week or so... I'm a new member of the BC so I never had a chance to know Chad, but I feel that I have come to know just a little bit about this brave young man. Even though I didn't know Chad... I've been praying for him and all our brave men and women in uniform everynight for the last several years.

From reading this thread I have come to feel a sense of loss for him - for his family, and for his friends too. I cannot begin to imagine the magnitude of sorrow felt by Chad'* family and friends.

Chad no longer needs my prayers for he has already been received into heaven. I will however continue to pray for the hearts that still break at his passing.

Carry on.

Wow Tim, it'* almost 6 months later and your post almost made me tear up. That'* so sweet of you. I wish everyone in this world could be a little less naive about things going on over there. what can you do though?

Anyways, I waited a while to put the sticker on my car but he rides with me everywhere now too! I couldn't handle seeing it right away everyday, but now it'* kind of comforting to have it there. I can't explain it. I do wish I could have him riding around with me still instead, but he'* watching over me and I know at times he probably hops in with me, with out me knowing... just to go for another crazy ride!

Please excuse the annoying fly that landed on my car after i washed it and waxed it... taking a few hours... I bet it crapped on it too!

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Dear Melissa,

I don’t know how to begin this letter. I don’t want to hurt your feelings after 7 months, but I have to ensure you about my deepest sympathy for your and Chad’* family loss.

You do not know me, I am a Hungarian soilder, who was MP on Sinai in the same time with Chad.

Two weeks ago I was on gate duty when 4 American officers came to our base bc we are going to held an International Airshow on base and the USAF will take part in it. Here in Hungary, (and I think in every country,) we have a tradition, if any foreign country come to our base we rise her flag. On that day I was the one who had to rise The Stars and Stripes. Later on that day, one of my friend who is still in Iraq with the US National Guard (Michigan) informed me about Chad’* passing away.
It’* weird both happened on the same day, but now I think I unfurled the flag for Chad.
I can say that he was one my best friend on Sinai. We spent a lot of time together, after duty I usually went for my everyday swimming to the beach, where he was a lifeguard. One day he was inside the lifeguard building when I arrived to the beach. I went immediately into the water, I was about 150 ft far from the shore, when I realised something, I did’nt know. It was huge… and it seemed like a shark. Before I had not seen any shark face-to-face only on TV. I was completely terrified. There were some people around me and nobody saw it. What should have I done? If I cry „Shark!”, I scare everybody and if it is not a shark make myself stupid. So I kept in silence and tried to move back while always wathched the fish. Unfortunatelly I was so shocked that my foot was seized with cramp. So I could barely move. When I got close to the shore Chad just stepped out the building and he immediately realised something happened to me and ran there. I told him about my foot and he brought some ice on it. I told him I saw a big fish which had shocked me and thought it was a shark. He was just smiling with his cute smile and said it was a barracuda. From then he had never forgotten to call my attention if any dangerous were in the sea, and our friendship started then. After we always joked about „My shark”.
He was there by my side when I got a message that my Grandma had had a stroke and she was in hospital. I still had few months left until my coming back home, so I thought I never see her again. I was so sad and he tried to cheer me up. After a couple of hours talking with Chad, he said: Geez…you know Eva things just happen, you like it or not, you better get used to it.
I have to add that any of other Hungarian cared about it.
He was there also when my bf broke up with me, and he was the only one again who cared about it as a best friend.
One day on the beach again he was so excited so I asked him what about. He said he had just signed up for Iraq. I saw everyday on CNN or BBC what happening in Iraq so I couldn’t believe he was exciting to go there. I tried to dissuade him from it, but I couldn’t. In Hungary we have to apply for a mission and if we don’t want to go over there we don’t have to and I would never think about going to that hell. I had not known before, if his battalion were going, he had to. I have never known such a patriotic, brave guy before.

I signed his guestbook also and uploaded some photos, which I have. I hope you are not angry at me for doing that, I just wanted to share those with you. Those on which I am wearing sriped top were taken when he tried to cheer me up bc of my Granny. In the Huncon Bar we were celebrating one of the Hungarian guy’* birthday. And the one when he had a beer, I had a baileys was taken in The Camel Bar in Sharm, where we used to go if we were off-duty.

Why am I writing this letter to you? For a couple of days I have been so speechless that I couldn’t say anything. Since I was told I think about him a lot, and now I can’t help sharing these memories with you and let you know that even if I am at the other side of the world Chad are not going to be forgotten here either.

Until now I couldn’t say the name of any heroe I know, neither a Hungarian nor an American. But now I sadly say he is a HEROE, and I salute him with a heavy heart.

Rest in peace Chad

God bless you Melissa, his family, and the soldiers who are still there
WO, Marinyak, Eva (former MFO peacekeeper)

Thank you for sharing your memories. It is nice to know that those who defend our freedom get to have a little time to enjoy themselves to.o

Eva,
There is no way I coudl ever be mad at you for sharring those memories. Those were memories before him and I ever met, but it'* so nice to hear how he'* touched other lives. It brings some comfort to me knowing he'* made a huge mark on life in the time he spent here. I agree, Chad has died a hero and I'll never forget the time I spent with him. I really don't know what else to say, I don't like to get into this topic too much bc it still tears me up. But thank you for sharring!

Melissa,
Is there any possibility for me to get a sticker?

Harofreak should be able to help there, he'* the one that made them.

Haro?

Thanks, Would he send it to Hungary? I would pay for that

I'm trying to get ahold of him for ya