Hello its me, this is gonna be hard for you to read

[daftandbarmy]

Hello its me, this is gonna be hard for you to read

At 19, Rifleman Cyrus Thatcher was one of the youngest victims of the Afghan war. These letters – given to The Independent by his family – reveal the excitement of a teenager sent to fulfil his dream, and his maturity in confronting the possibility that he might not make it home

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/hello-mum-this-is-going-to-be-hard-for-you-to-read-1753008.html

 

[Ex Ranger Instructor]

Jesus.  RIP RFN Thatcher.

 

[tomahawk6]

Allergies kicking up. A very humbling read.

 

[Danjanou]

Dusty here too.

 

[opp550]

Who's cutting those onions!

 

[jemcgrg]

That was a rough read.

 

[bridges]

Rest in peace, Rfn Thatcher.     

Thanks to his family for sharing these letters, and to daftandbarmy for posting this. 

 

[jollyjacktar]

A good man gone there. 

 

[Maxadia]

Now there's a kid any parent would be proud to have. 

Sometimes we forget that the immaturity in some of the youngsters we see, is actually just a brave face for their insecurities.  In actual fact, they're a lot more mature than we take them to be.

 

[bridges]

Sometimes we forget that the immaturity in some of the youngsters we see, is actually just a brave face for their insecurities.  In actual fact, they're a lot more mature than we take them to be.

True.

It's humbling, how awareness of our mortality can change things, & seem to quickly prioritize them.  The letters got me thinking about what I'd want my loved ones to know if I were gone.  Stuff that can be hard to say in the course of normal everyday life.  Who among us feels comfortable expressing those things to others, except after we've died?

A great young man.