Ezra Dawson, Fallen Hero: Honoring our Son’s Namesake on Memorial Day
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It was Memorial Day. Russ had to work, which I felt to be rather ironic. But, you can’t really be bothered about something like that…the world doesn’t stop for Memorial Day, and now that he works for an international corporation, he has to “pull his weight” as a civilian.
I wanted to just push all the memories of military life aside and pretend that it was just another day.
But I couldn’t.
So on Monday, I took Ezra to his first Memorial Day parade and celebration in a small town about 30 minutes from us.
On our way there, a woman called into the radio station I was listening to with news that her son was getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan. She started crying.
Ezra asked me, “Mommy, dat girl is CRYIN!”
I tried to explain:
“Ezra, do you remember when you daddy was in Afghanistan for a long time?”
Ezra: Yes….
“Well, that lady knows someone who is in the Army and he’s going to Afghanistan too, and she’s going to miss him. That’s why she is crying!”
I knew he couldn’t really understand, but I was touched that he recognized the emotion in her voice, even through the radio.
We arrived and found a good parking spot. While it was a struggle keeping Ezra from running away in the crowds, I was immediately glad we went. We were surrounded by men wearing their veteran caps, girls with stars and stripes in their bows and on their dresses, and a lot of American flags. Once we got to the town square we started seeing a lot of uniforms. It was a welcome sight.
We picked up a flag for Ezra (as I had forgotten to bring along his “Merica”) and found some sights to keep him occupied while we waited for the parade to start.
Ezra loved the parade – all the clapping and waving – he was fascinated…mesmerized.
I watched the flags roll by, the different groups of veterans – paralyzed veterans, WW2 veterans, Vietnam veterans. Then came the vehicles carrying Gold Star family members – people who have lost a family member to war.
This car brought tears to my eyes, and I was reminded of so many others like this soldier. Soldiers that we knew or knew of who were killed in Afghanistan. I waved to the woman in the car (who looked to be the fallen soldier’s mother) and mouthed a Thank You to her.
Thank you never really seems like enough.
Whenever I see a member of a Gold Star family, I wish there is something I can do to let them know that their sacrifice and sorrow is not forgotten. But most of the time, a simple thank you is all that I have the opportunity to do.
There is, however, one fallen soldier that my family has taken opportunity to remember – to memorialize – in a far more tangible way…through our son.
Ezra is named after one SGT Ezra Dawson, a soldier that was killed in Afghanistan during my husband’s first deployment. I never met Ezra, but my husband and he shared a barracks room for about four months. The closest I ever got to him was the day I helped my husband move his belongings out of the barracks and into our new apartment. All I could think of was how glad I was getting my man out of such a place that was sadly lacking a woman’s touch!
Had I known that the other person living there wouldn’t come home from the war they were about to fight, I might have taken a lingering look around at the uniforms and personal affects lying around the room.
Russ hasn’t talked much about how Ezra’s death affected him, but there were definitely tears shed. And immediately Russ had me order a memorial bracelet so that he would always remember, which he has worn off and on over the last four years.
Fast forward a year to the following spring, when my husband and I decided to name our son after Ezra Dawson.
[Written by Russ] Once we decided on the name for our son, I tried to find some way to get in contact with Ezra Dawson’s mother or any family so that I could express to them how much I appreciated him and his friendship. I had tried people who were in his platoon, his company first sargeant, and even through our unit’s official channels to get family contact information, and every time the result was the same: nothing.
I had tried to search for Ezra’s mother on Facebook on multiple occasions, but I was never able to find her. We decided that the possibility of any members of Ezra’s family ever knowing about our Ezra was pretty slim. We hoped to someday take him to Arlington Cemetery, where Ezra Dawson is buried, and explain to him the significance of his name – that some man he’s never met was willing to lay down his life for our country so that our Ezra could live his life in freedom. My husband even hoped that perhaps we could run into Ezra’s family there at Arlington, but the chances of that were so slim, we really didn’t have any hope of it happening.
But yesterday, the day after Memorial Day, I received a personal message through this blog’s Facebook page from Ezra Dawson’s sister:
Hello Beautiful in his time. This is Ezra’s Big Sister. I have been praying to get in touch with anyone who was there with Ezra, My only, little brother, who I admired and loved so much. Im amazed that not only did I find someone but your blog about your son has a special connection to my brother. Im honored that you named your Son Ezra. Im honored that you told your story so beautiful. It seems as it was meant to be.
Im litterly in tears because Ezra was a GIFT to me from God. He is and was my ROCK. His Spirit lives on and your blog is just one of the many examples. Im so thankful beyond words that at this moment I found your Article. Ezra Kurt….the significance.
I would like to speak or at least write to you and your Husband to talk more about Ezra and his time spent in Afghanistan. Thanks soooo much for you, your husband and Ezra Kurt for having the heart to create such a beautiful memory even after my brother has passed on.*
This girl found my blog through an internet search of her brother’s name, which I had added to the tags of the post. The post now shows up on the first page of results – now anyone who looks for information on Ezra Dawson will find that his name lives on in our son.
This is such a huge answer to my and my husband’s prayers! Ezra’s sister shared the information on her Facebook page and the post about Ezra’s name had over 25 new views yesterday. We are so glad that Ezra Dawson’s family is now aware of how we have memorialized their fallen soldier through our son.
We hope and pray that someday soon we will be able to meet Ezra Dawson’s family in person and be able to introduce them to our Ezra, and we hope that as Ezra grows older, he will always remember the sacrifice that one man made for this country.
*some personal information removed for privacy’s sake
_____
In 2016, just before our Ezra turned six, we were able to visit Arlington on a family vacation to Virginia. We took some time to honor Ezra Dawson and show Ezra his grave.
With Ezra’s behavioral challenges, we had to give him a lot of preparation about what is expected of a place like Arlington. He had a few rough moments, but overall he did INCREDIBLY well at displaying decorum and honor while we were there. He also knelt down and held his hands together as though praying. When I asked him what he prayed, he said, “I wasn’t praying, I was talking to Dawson.” When I asked him what he said, he said, “You don’t need to know.” It was very sweet.
Russ also had moments honoring Ezra Dawson, and in some ways, getting some closure for his time as an American soldier.
32 Comments
Mary Bush
Awwww, A, this made me cry. In a good way. So very glad that the SGT Dawson’s family found your site.
pictimilitude
This was a beautiful read! I shared this with my husband over breakfast just now. How touching and you just never know where blogging is going to take you. Have a wonderful day!
Aprille
Thanks for reading and sharing! I had to spread the joy!
Dana
Amazing! I hope that you and your Ezra can meet his namesake’s family one day soon. Thank you for sharing your story; it will make me smile for the rest of the day.
Aprille
You are welcome! I’m so glad it brought a smile to your face!
Sandra
Oh, what a beautiful story. How wonderful that the internet brought you together. Funny, my great niece just named her twin boy Ezra this week. This is not to toot my horn but my husband created a moving video in honor of our service men and women. You and your husband might enjoy shedding a tear or two. I always do. BTW, my husband was in the Marines and the Air Force. http://www.apartfrommyart.com/when-i-come-home/
Aprille
Thank you for sharing!!
Anita D. Sullivan
Oh.wow. So glad I read this and was introduce to both Ezra’s.
My husband was military and ten years ago next week, lost a member of their battalion in Iraq. It was just a few days after my husband made it home, ahead of the rest because he was discharging. I never met the young man, and he and my husband weren’t friends or knew each other well, but it still impacted me deeply to sit at his memorial, with my husband who had just returned. I was 9 months pregnant, and promised his mom that my son would grow up knowing of hers. Every year we talk about Wayne, and the past two years I’ve written about him on my blog. Some of his family found it through tags also- and for that I’m so thankful.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful story.
Aprille
Thank you for sharing your story and keeping Wayne’s memory alive – through your home and online! how beautiful!
Sara
So beautiful! this made me cry…thank you or sharing it with the world! <3
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justyn
I knew Ezra Dawson before he re-enlisted. We worked together, hung out together, he pushed me to do stand up comedy. We drifted apart and then reconnected. Its been years but I still think about the best friend I once had. Your story brings a smile to know that you honored him in such an amazing way.
Aprille
Justyn, thank you so much for sharing about Ezra’s part in your life! We are honored to hear from you!
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Anita Hunter
I had to comment, cause I know Ezra every since he was 4, he grow up with us, he was are preachers son he was a good kid, Ezra even learned to preach at an early age like 7, he was funny , he loved to make people laugh. I never saw him upset are down are even sad he was always happy and trying to make others happy. I never though he would be taken I mean he was a preachers child. anyway, I had to share about him so he would not be forgotten ever.
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kawana dawson
Hello I’m Ezra Dawson niece…..I didn’t know till now about what you have done for my uncle. I’m glad that someone did something so special like this for him in his name. Glad to know my uncle made alot of people happy. Hope one day we could meet your son Ezra. Again thanks aprille!!!
Aprille
Kawana. Thank you so much for commenting. We are so glad that your Ezra’s name lives on every day in our son. #neverforget
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Ashley Alicea
This is such a beautiful story, and so similar to my own. I am so glad I came across your blog. My husband was also in the military and Ezra Dawson was a good friend of his. I had the pleasure of meeting him, and spending some time : with him before that deployment. My husband and I also named our second son after him, his middle name is Dawson. This truly made my day to read this story and I can’t wait to share it with my husband!
Ashley Alicea
Aprille
Wow. That’s so amazing!
Anonymous
I don’t have anything constructive to add here, but thank you for this.
Hannah @Sunshine and Spoons
This brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful legacy for your son.
Tanya
The title of this post had me curious but I wasn’t expecting it to be so sweet and touching. What a beautiful reason for choosing your son’s name <3
Aprille
Thank you.
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Abigail Jewell
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story… Though our bloodline made us cousins, Ezra was more like a brother to us – my siblings & I. As I write this & the tears begin to flow, I am truly blessed to know that a piece of our hero lives on thru your son. May God ever bless your family & may there always be a special grace that rests upon your sweet baby boy Ezra…
Aprille
Abigail, thank you for sharing your story and feeling with me. We honored your Ezra by visiting his resting place at Arlington this morning. Our Ezra will be 6 in two weeks and any time he meets someone new and they ask him his name, he tells them about Ezra Dawson! It is so precious.
Nadia
As I reflect today on the selflessness of so many brave souls today. I ran across this story and it has brought me to tears. The honor you have bestowed upon the joyful spirit of Ezra is remarkable. As we remember the many awesome memories of my cousin Ezra, I thank you for sharing this story for all to read. We are blessed to have had our time with Ezra and he will forever be missed.
God bless your family and husband for his honor of families brave hero.
Thank you!
Aprille
Nadia, thank you for commenting. As always, we are so sorry for your family’s loss. Our Ezra continues to bring us joy and knows exactly where his name came from. He’s 10 now!
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Abigail
Stopped by to read this beautiful story again & it still blesses me. I hope u & ur family especially that sweet baby boy Ezra are all still safe & well.