Remembering an Inspirational Family

I had a good friend, JP Blecksmith. We went to high school together. He was a top student, quarterback of the football team, captain of the track team, hilarious, generous and all around nice guy. After high school, he attended Annapolis and then was deployed to Fallujah, where he acted as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Marines. In November of '04, he was shot and instantly killed while clearing a rooftop for his platoon. Fox was kind enough to do a several day mini-documentary on JP and his platoon, which really showed the kind of guy he was. I wish I could find a clip. More information on JP can be found at http://www.jpblecksmith.org/.

Shortly after his death, his mother, Pam, was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer, which she battled for three years before finally succumbing in January of 2008. Pam was an extremely accomplished woman, with Stanford and MBA degrees, an extensive White House career, constant community volunteer work and a loving wife and mother of three. But, most impressive, she was the strongest and sweetest woman I've ever met. She never complained about being sick or losing her son, who was her best friend and pride and joy. I visited her in City of Hope, shortly after an extensive procedure to remove the cancer, which had, by that time, spread throughout her body. Despite her weakened condition, she was as perky and sweet as ever, while gently refusing to talk about herself, asking, instead, about my life and everyone else's.

Whenever I'm faced with adversity or sorrow, I try to remember the Blecksmiths and all of their selfless sacrifices. JP's memory receives most of the glory, because of his untimely and heroic death, but Pam was the true hero of the family. She was the silent and courageous backbone for all of them.

Pam and Ed Blecksmith at JP's funeral.