As I Run, I Will Remember Those Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice
This past Memorial Day Weekend I was asked to speak at our National Military Survivor Seminar about why I run the Marine Corps Marathon for T*A*P*S, and what does it for me. As I looked into the audience of my peers, I was overcome with emotion. I explained that T*A*P*S has given me so much. T*A*P*S has given me a network of not only friends, but also a family. The whole essence of T*A*P*S is our peer support network. Our T*A*P*S motto has become ‘Remember the love, Celebrate the life, and Share the Journey.’ I have done exactly that with my T*A*P*S family. My healing and moving forward has come from being able to share a commonality with my friends and working through our grief together. Now my “old friends” from T*A*P*S and I are able to help our new friends who have joined us in their healing.
For those of you that don’t know about T*A*P*S, let me explain. We cover every branch of the armed services, including Reserves and the National Guard. We are not only there for spouses and children, but also parents, siblings, and fiancées, and any others affected by a loss of someone in the military. We offer a 24-hour crisis and information hotline, a quarterly T*A*P*S magazine, a website (www.taps.org), counselors and caregivers, compassionate peer support, and the National Military Survivor Seminar and Kids Camp/Youth Gathering. I would like to add that I have witnessed the surviving children at the Kids Camp. Many of my peers tell me that their children benefit so much because they can finally come together and meet others who have also suffered such a tremendous loss. Sometimes it is the first time that their children will acknowledge or talk about their loss. It is quite a touching weekend.
As I have said in the past, T*A*P*S has given me so much, and it is my turn to give back, so I am asking for your help once again. Please sponsor me in the Marine Corps Marathon so that T*A*P*S can continue to help those, like myself, who have been impacted by a death in the armed forces. I want to continue to be there for those families that have suffered a similar loss.
I would like to close by sharing something with all of you. Marie Campbell has come a long way in her healing. I am stronger than I have ever been before. I KNOW and can feel that Dee Campbell is proud of me. Sometimes I even feel like I can feel his beautiful smile shining down on me. On June 25, 1996, my life changed forever. A door was shut, but a new one opened. Dee and I may not be married anymore, but in a unique way we are still working as a team. This year, I will be running not only in memory of Dee and his fallen comrades in Khobar Towers, but all of those who have made and will make the ultimate sacrifice for this great nation.
God Bless All of You and May God Bless the United States of America.
Love, Marie Campbell
Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13
For those of you that don’t know about T*A*P*S, let me explain. We cover every branch of the armed services, including Reserves and the National Guard. We are not only there for spouses and children, but also parents, siblings, and fiancées, and any others affected by a loss of someone in the military. We offer a 24-hour crisis and information hotline, a quarterly T*A*P*S magazine, a website (www.taps.org), counselors and caregivers, compassionate peer support, and the National Military Survivor Seminar and Kids Camp/Youth Gathering. I would like to add that I have witnessed the surviving children at the Kids Camp. Many of my peers tell me that their children benefit so much because they can finally come together and meet others who have also suffered such a tremendous loss. Sometimes it is the first time that their children will acknowledge or talk about their loss. It is quite a touching weekend.
As I have said in the past, T*A*P*S has given me so much, and it is my turn to give back, so I am asking for your help once again. Please sponsor me in the Marine Corps Marathon so that T*A*P*S can continue to help those, like myself, who have been impacted by a death in the armed forces. I want to continue to be there for those families that have suffered a similar loss.
I would like to close by sharing something with all of you. Marie Campbell has come a long way in her healing. I am stronger than I have ever been before. I KNOW and can feel that Dee Campbell is proud of me. Sometimes I even feel like I can feel his beautiful smile shining down on me. On June 25, 1996, my life changed forever. A door was shut, but a new one opened. Dee and I may not be married anymore, but in a unique way we are still working as a team. This year, I will be running not only in memory of Dee and his fallen comrades in Khobar Towers, but all of those who have made and will make the ultimate sacrifice for this great nation.
God Bless All of You and May God Bless the United States of America.
Love, Marie Campbell
Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:13