Post Script: Letter to the Editor
Editor:
To the people of Wyoming (especially Campbell County):
I am a police officer in Connecticut with over 30 years on the job, a sergeant with a department in the Hartford area.
This past week my daughter and I have been driving cross-country from Connecticut to Seattle, Wash., where she will be living while attending college.
While driving through the states we have been seeing many areas of very large farms and ranches. A house and cluster of barns and surrounded by miles of fenced fields and land. We were wondering aloud about what the people and their daily lives were like.
It seems like itd be a long drive just to go to the store or visit a neighbor. How do the kids go to school? How do you get to town? How far away is it to the store, hospital, to get gas? We talked about what it would be like to pull off the highway and drive up to one of these homes and ask.
On Wednesday, March 31, we pulled off the highway to gas up and get something to eat. We were in Gillette, Wyo. As we were leaving the restaurant we saw the street lined with people holding flags, their hands over their hearts or saluting.
One of the waitresses watching from the door explained that a young soldier killed in Afghanistan was coming from the airport en route to the funeral home. We saw the tail-end of the procession and followed it as we made our way back onto the highway.
All these people stopping what they were doing to honor this soldier and show their respect was so moving. Ive never seen such a display of respect and gratitude where I work. I would venture to say some of the residents back home would be breaking into the cars while the owners lined the streets.
And as I said to my daughter, weve been wondering about the people around here -- this is what they are about. These are true Americans.
Your shining example will forever be remembered by my daughter and I. We have been sharing this with our friends and family as a highlight of our trip.
SGT. DAN "ZEKE" MATHENA, Harwinton, Conn.