Missing My HERO, “Scotty”

Several days ago I received the horrible news that my HERO had passed away. Sure, it may sound silly to some that I call him my HERO, but he truly was.

 Before I met “Scotty”, he was an Army Special Forces soldier, he then became a police officer, worked Undercover Drugs and was a member of the police department’s elite SWAT Team. He was stern, decisive, fiery and wild, but quick as a whip and great at everything he did. To include mentoring me. “Scotty” came into my life when I was a scrappy teen, thinking I knew it all. He reassured me that I did not know it all and that he would do what he could to turn my life around. When he saw me hanging around bad people, he would tell me (and them, mind you; he had no fear) that they were bad people and that only bad things would happen if I continued to be around them. He made sure I went to school and checked on me when I got off the city bus late at night after work.  At one point, I found myself homeless. He helped me find a place to live and gave me some necessities for the home such as a bed, plates and silverware. ”Scotty” guided me to FINISH school and always enforced that I had to work hard toward the future that I wanted. He always told me, “Focus on where you want to be”!

“Scotty” encouraged me to join the military.  In his words, “They feed you, clothe you, train you, provide you housing, give you a job and they pay you. You cannot find that anywhere else”!  The Army life he lived, as he put it, were some of the best times of his life.  He was right. After many discussions and getting over the hesitation, I enlisted. I found a sense of purpose in the Army. The Army gave me discipline, allowed me to excel utilizing the skills and talents I had, or taught me new ones. I learned so much, was able to travel, met so many people and, even now, after re-enlistment, never regret one moment that I spend in the Army. I owe that all to “Scotty”! But most of all, I owe “Scotty” my life.

I always think about where I would be if I had not met him, if he had not taken me away from bad influences, if he had not encouraged me or believed in me and mostly allowed me to believe in myself. I may have gone to jail or prison, lived my life uneducated,  may have been homeless or even dead. Some of those around me during my teen years suffered those consequences. However, I consider myself blessed.

I wish everyone could find a HERO like the one I will always have in “Scotty”! Although he is now in Heaven, he will always be in my heart! I honor him in the soldier I am today and the person I will always be.

He will ALWAYS be my True HERO…. I LOVE YOU, Scotty! Thank You & GodSpeed!