California Dreamin': Column #14

The Real Heroes
By Amy Witt

I wanted to stop and take a moment to give thanks to our men and women fighting for us to live in our amazing free country! Give thanks to the heroes and to the families’ heroes we have lost…Brett Land, Doug Jeffries, Thomas J. Mayberry, Timothy Paul Martin, and all of our other fallen soldiers. I am so tired of hearing people complain about how horrible our country is or the war…yes, the war is never a good thing…but give thanks…stand by and support OUR men who our fighting for you people who complain and are able to sleep safely at night.

A few weeks ago, we saw my brother, Wyatt Witt, off to basic training in the Air Force. As a close, tight-nit family it was probably one of the hardest thing we’ve been through. I come from a history of great heroes. My grandfather Frank Nieblas served in the Air Force as a mechanic, while my grandpa Lloyd Witt served in the Marines fighting in World War II. I didn’t get the chance to know my Grandpa Nieblas because he died at a very young age. He was a very handsome man, racing boats and race cars. Grandpa and grandma lived a great life like celebrities.

While I did get to spend some time with my Grandpa Witt, my fondest memory was being 5 years old spraying Aqua Net hairspray in his hair while he watched “Mattlock.” I now know my designing skills came from him, while he was one of Levi’s Strauss’s first designers…I actually have all the old patterns. He also had his own clothing line, Witt Craft, in which he designed and executed western clothing and leather wear selling to the movie industry.

It has been very hard with my brother being gone, not only as my brother but as one of my best friends. We write letters everyday. I am sooo safe and proud to say I am an American and even prouder to have my best friend and brother serving our country as an airman.

I am soo sickened when I see people saying, “Soldiers aren’t heroes.” They even have Facebook pages and YouTube videos supporting this nonsense. I put an Air Force sticker on my car, and recently it was ripped off. In my heart, soldiers are the greatest heroes of us all!

The last week of March, we will be road tripping to Texas to watch my brother graduate as an air man. I am so beyond excited to watch him walk across the stage in his blues looking so impeccably handsome.

Please take a moment and give thanks to our heroes. Take the time to stop and thank them when you see them. Be grateful and proud to be an American! I sure am!!!!