Life Changing Moments

Every now and then there are moments in our lives that if we are paying attention they will change us forever. Some of them are great joyous moments others are wrapped in a great tragedy. For me I had one of those moments a year ago today. I unexpectedly found myself in one of the largest most profound support groups I had ever been a part of. As a photographer there was great opportunity for me to capture these moments, but little did I know that they would have the impact on me that they have.

SFC Brian Woods was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan in August of 2009. They brought him home to Cedar Hill MO on August 26th 2009. There had been announcements of his arrival on the radio and television stations requesting people come out to the sides of the highways and show their support. Brian's body was being escorted by local law enforcement and the Patriot Guard from the airport to Cedar Hill.

I had the honor of personally knowing Brian from high school, even though I had not seen him in over a decade the memory he left was still firm in my mind. Brian left behind a wife and two very young daughters. Brian's wife had stayed home in North Carolina where they had conducted a small private ceremony for Brian earlier that week. She decided not to come to St Louis for his burial here. Being Brian's friend and a photographer I felt obligated to capture these events for them so they could remember forever the welcoming he received as a hero in our community. And what a welcoming it was.

At 6pm August 26th 2009 a valley over a mile long was full of people lining the highway as far as the eye could see. We all patiently waited with flags, signs and hearts full of support. One lone police cruiser crested the hill and blared a siren alert, the valley went silent. An eery silent that only those there could explain the misery it stirred in their soul. Well over 500 people watched silently as Brian's hearse passed them by on it's way to the funeral home. The rumble of all the motorcycles from the patriot guard shook my inner core in a way I can still feel it's effects a year later.

I had the privilege of standing next to a young man Marine Sergeant Ross Kaeding during the procession. Sergeant Kaeding firm in his respect for Brian, and his service, stood strong as Brian passed by us. Snapping the below picture changed my life. I had never taken a photo that I now know has had such impact on others. As a photographer it is a sour triumph to successfully capture a tragic moment. I can't imagine the emotion that war photographers go through that spend time in the line of duty with these brave men and women.

The emotion from that day and the following days as Brian's memorial service was conducted are too great to capture in a blog post. They are enough to fill books if everyone accounted the impact these moments had on our lives. The one impact that should be accounted on this day however is that of profound respect. For the thousands that were a part of Brian's memorial and the thousands more that were impacted by his life August of every year has a different feel to it that it did before 2009. Brian's memory lives on in all of our lives and the change his life and sacrifice made on the world will be continually felt.

We miss you Brian!

(the full gallery can be found here In Memory of SFC Brian Woods )

Image © 2009 Charles Eaton