Warrior Friend Down

[Phaedrus]

One of the bravest, strongest and heroic men I've ever known is currently dying. His name is John Kwon, and he recently retired from a career in the military, where he was a paratrooper and served in the 101st Air Assault Division.

He had recently continued his service to this wonderful country as a contractor, doing enforcement support for a certain Agency in Northern Virginia. This man is a stud, and typifies the concept of bad-***. When his wife announced that he was in a coma, the first thing I did was check National news to find out which 6 guys he took down in the process of going down, himself. He is just that kind of guy.

Well, I just found out that this hero was struck down when he started a fire in his fireplace that had a small amount of poison ivy vines embedded in the bark, and he inhaled enough of it to destroy his lungs' ability to process oxygen. He is expected to pass away soon, after a hard fight, and he leaves behind a wife and three small children.

Guy is my age. I always kind of expected to read about his death in a Medal Of Honor citation. Life is so strange, how it works.

[CyPride]

One of the bravest, strongest and heroic men I've ever known is currently dying. His name is John Kwon, and he recently retired from a career in the military, where he was a paratrooper and served in the 101st Air Assault Division.

He had recently continued his service to this wonderful country as a contractor, doing enforcement support for a certain Agency in Northern Virginia. This man is a stud, and typifies the concept of bad-***. When his wife announced that he was in a coma, the first thing I did was check National news to find out which 6 guys he took down in the process of going down, himself. He is just that kind of guy.

Well, I just found out that this hero was struck down when he started a fire in his fireplace that had a small amount of poison ivy vines embedded in the bark, and he inhaled enough of it to destroy his lungs' ability to process oxygen. He is expected to pass away soon, after a hard fight, and he leaves behind a wife and three small children.

Guy is my age. I always kind of expected to read about his death in a Medal Of Honor citation. Life is so strange, how it works.

He is dying from inhaling poison ivy smoke?

However old he is, he is dying too young, especially with the circumstances.

God's speed to him and his family!

[Cyclonepride]

Wow. I don't what else to say, other than what a sad story. God bless him and his family.

[cycloneML]

I'm having trouble reconciling a badass being struck down by poison ivy...

[Phaedrus]

I'm having trouble reconciling a badass being struck down by poison ivy...

You and me both, brother. You and me both.

[Cyrocks]

I'm having trouble reconciling a badass being struck down by poison ivy...

I had a friend who was simply mowing his yard and he mowed up a patch of poison oak by accident. It got all over him and into his eyes. He had to spend about a week in the hospital.

They don't call it "poison" ivy for nothing.

This is more than sad, Phaedrus. It's tragic.

[Cyclonepride]

I think it's sometimes hard to come to grips with the thought that our heroes are mortal men. Our elite soldiers are not Rambo. They are, for the most part, ordinary men who have been blessed with a courage and a strength of will that surpasses us and our understanding. We can appreciate them for taking the gifts that God has granted them, and doing more with it than we could ever imagine. "A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver for five minutes longer." Ralph Waldo Emerson

[tidbit]

A truly tragic story!! Just shows that anything can happen to ANY of us at anytime, anyplace and none us may know ahead of time when that could happen.
Thanks for sharing, and God bless his famly and his friends!!