In all honesty I have been dreading this specific post for over two years. I have thought about it over and over. Monday, August, 26, 2013 started like any other. I got ready for work and headed into the office started shooting the breeze with my new bud and co-worker Christie. As I sat at my desk I kept getting a call from my dear friend Fernando Garcia. Garcia and I were both aides to the same Admiral and we became best friends instantly, I love this guy! I ignored his call since I was at work and figured he would leave me a voice mail and then I would call him when I got a chance. He called right back which I found odd but knew it had to be important so I told Christie I needed to take this call and stepped outside. When I answered he didn't do any of our usual chit chat all he said was "Monica I have some news, Bryan has been killed in action his parents will be notified in a few hours." When people talk about having an out of body experience this is what I imagine it would be like. I heard his words and as crazy as it sounds they even made sense but my brain was not processing. All I asked was" Are you sure its him? Has it been confirmed?" Garcia said "Yes" to which I answered "Ok" and hung up.
All I remember was walking into the office still in shock and when Christie asked me if everything was ok or something like it all I said was "Bryan has been killed in action, his parents will be notified soon." I sat at my desk and she came over and at that moment I lost it, I had just heard what I had said and finally my brain understood what was going on. I started sobbing and I felt pain I never thought a human could feel, I honestly felt like my heart was breaking. I just needed to get out of there and fast.
I came home and my sister in law Melissa was surprised to see me and asked why I was home so early I didn't need to say anything she knew by the look on my face. I remember her saying "No, no, no" and just hugging me and we both just cried. I then called my Mom and my sister and cried some more. Brandy came over to help Melissa out and I just wanted to die. I went to my room and screamed into my pillow cried, begged and waited for the call that would tell me that it was a mistake and that Bryan was ok, that call never came. Instead it was my friend David Mullen who was supposed to come and visit us in Yakima after he was done at Whidbey Island asking what he could do. I fell asleep and woke up to my brother Monico hugging me and asking what he could do. Everyone was asking me what they could do and there was nothing that they could to make it better. I just wanted Bryan with me and no one could grant me that. I made arrangements to head over to Dover were Bryan's body would be brought. My friend David would meet me in Seattle and we would fly to Dover to bring Bryan home.
