I made a the trip I have been dreaming about for years. The trip to Viet Nam. What an incredible experience. I spent many years hating Vietnamese and the government because they took my daddy away from me. 
     After I reached 20 years old, I put all my hate and disappointments in life put them in a box and shoved them deep into my heart. I thought of my dad often, because I proudly display his photo and his medals. I never really knew what the medals stood for except the purple heart. That I knew all too well. 
     January 2000 began a journey in healing that I had prayed for my entire life. It was always my prayer and an unspoken dream to meet and talk to someone who was there in my dads last moments of life. I got the first of many calls starting January 8th, 2000. It was the greatest thing that could have ever happened in my life. For the first time in my life I truly began to grieve my fathers death. 
     The moving wall came to Memphis in October of 2000. I attended opening ceremonies with family and friends. As the bag pipes played Amazing Grace, I began to look around at all who surrounded me. It was at that moment I finally realized why my father went to Vietnam. Everyone around me, friends, family and strangers were wiping the tears from their face, everyone that is except me.  For the first time in my life I felt a peace come over me like I had never felt before. – My dad went to fight for me. He loved me and this country so much that he was willing to die for something he believed in.
     My trip to Viet Nam did the same thing for me but in a different way. I always knew I wanted to go and knew I needed to go. Money and time away from work almost held me back, but things always have a way of working out like they are supposed to. 
     Meeting and talking to people who lost their fathers helped me in so many ways. My trip to Viet Nam did what years of therapy could not touch – Help me make peace with my childhood. I don't know exactly what road I was in Viet Nam or even what day it was, but it hit me. My life has a divine purpose. It was time to move on from the past. I couldn't change the fact that my father is no longer here and I couldn't undo all the bad things in my childhood.  I have to take what I have learned and help others. 
     That was made very clear to me by, Jim Doyle and Bill Duker. Both of them spoke about a whole new generation of children who will not only lose fathers, but mothers. I was speechless, because I knew how hard that childhood was for me, I have always hoped no child would suffer like I did. 
     We left Viet Nam on the eve of a new war.  How ironic is was to hear the President speak about the sacrifice of war as we were leaving Singapore, on our way back to "The World".
     I back our President a thousand percent. We would not have this country and be free to speak if it were not for war. War is the cost of freedom. Our fathers died to save others. New fathers are dying to save others. The Star Spangled Banner, our national anthem, was not written during peace time, but during war. 
     In closing, I wish to thank each and everyone for their hardwork and dedication to this trip. And I want each and every one of us to remember the families and children of those who have lost a loved one in The War on Iraq. We can make a change in the next generation of children, because they have fathers who paid the same price our fathers paid. 

CLICK HERE
to Email Candy