I love those individuals who are not afraid to stand firm in the face of adversity and those who leave a mark that cannot easily be forgotten. Doing the right thing doesn't take courage, it takes integrity. When I learned of this story and the hundreds of people who came forward to shield the family of a fallen soldier, I choked on my own tears.
Lt. Col Roy Tisdale, a Texas A&M alum, passed away on June 28th after being shot during a training exercise at Fort Bragg. The A&M community began to grieve the loss of a beloved member of their Aggie family, but soon news reached the community that the Westboro Baptist Church’s was intending to picket the funeral of the decorated soldier. Several Aggies organized a silent human “Maroon Wall” to surround College Station’s Central Baptist Church to preserve the sanctity of the funeral for the fallen commanding officer and his family. Over 600 Aggies arrived in the blistering heat of the Texas summer, to link arm-in-arm, in a heartening display of loyalty and compassion.
In the end, no Westboro members were spotted at the funeral or the burial site. They possibly decided to forgo their protest after hearing about the valiant efforts to protect the family. The 600 warriors that surrounded their comrade on that day, with a fortress of honor, left a legacy of love that will never die. Lt. Col Roy Tisdale was allowed to be laid to rest in the peace that he so deserved. By Linda Sumner Urza, One fine day.
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