An Event to Remember

In my current occupation as a firefighter, I have to see and do things that I typically do not wish to do.  On the rare occasion, I am able to see something great and even more rare, I am allowed the opportunity to just stand back and watch something amazing.  Today was one of those extremely rare occasions.  It's rush hour in Candler, and people are cranky.  I had the opportunity to park my 24 foot long big red truck in front of an intersection and prohibit people from passing.  It was anything but pretty for just a minute. "Just hold on, you will soon see." I told one lady who was very inquisitive as to the why I would not allow her to pass through.  Just peaking over the horizon, I saw the red an blue flashing lights and heard the faint sound of a siren yelp.  Everyone immediately stopped trying to find a way around my truck and began looking in the direction of the faint, yet familiar sound.  A Chief from the City of Asheville Fire Department, high ranking officers from both the North Carolina Highway Patrol, City of Asheville and Buncombe County Sheriff's Department as well as a motorcycle officer and other police cars filed through one by one.  They were immediately followed by motorcycles from The Patriot Guard and directly in the center of the 40-50 motorcycles came a white SUV.  Standing  out of the sunroof opening, breathing the air of home, stood Staff Sergeant Christopher Ollis from the United States Army to thank us.  After serving three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, he was home.  The procession was taking him to McCormick Field in Downtown Asheville not to enjoy "America's favorite pastime", but to throw ball with his son.  His son had won a chance to throw out the first pitch of the game tonight.  His dad would appear out of the dugout before the game dressed as the team's catcher.  This excited kid would throw ball with what he presumed to be the catcher of the Tourist baseball team and then when he threw the first pitch, with the ball safely secured in the catcher's mitt, the staff sergeant would remove the catcher's mask revealing to the ecstatic child that his father had returned home safely.  In the above picture, the staff sergeant embraces his children much like he caught the baseball, wrapping them up tightly, safe and secure.  This day, I will remember for a long time.   Welcome home Staff Sergeant Ollis.