What a community Breton Bay is! We just concluded a moment of silence for fallen Army Specialist Jeremy Tomlin who was tragically killed Monday in a helicopter accident at Breton Bay Golf & CC. The outpouring of community support would move anyone to tears as we remember the fallen and pray for the healing of the other 2 soldiers: CWO Nicholas and Capt. Onoda. It is unfortunate to always lose a life and it makes each day seeing these soldiers a challenge as we know what they lay on the line each day for us and our freedom. God bless all of our military personnel, police, firefighters and all first responders.

This is a copy of what was said at our service and I wanted to share it as it was incredibly moving:

We are here this morning to honor Specialist Jeremy Tomlin, who gave his life in the performance of his duties and to pray for the speedy recovery of Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Nicholas and Captain Terikazu Onoda.

These gentlemen were performing their duties as members of the Army, providing all of us the very blanket of freedom that we sleep under every day and night. We will never be able to repay the sacrifice they made, and that all members of our armed services make every day, but we can honor them and ask God to Bless them and their families in the days, weeks and months ahead.

They, along with our police officers, firefighters, and other first responders, are always willing to rush in when others are rushing out. They stand between us and those that wish to harm us and say, “NOT TODAY, NOT ON MY WATCH!” and they are all willing to make the greatest sacrifice of all, lay down their own lives for the sake of others.

These 3 men were not part of our community, until Monday afternoon when this terrible accident happened. But they are forever a part of our community now. Every time we put up our flags, we will remember them. Every time a helicopter flies overhead, we will remember them. Every time we drive past this place, we will remember them. We promise we will never forget them for they belong to us now too.

 

Photos courtsey of Julie Isaacs Losh