Through Thick and Thin (Anthony Rizzo)

Being Great

Anthony

There are very few people in this world where they are both leaders and loved. Watching The Final Dance documentary about Michael Jordan was a prime example of a great player who was constantly questioned if he was a great man. Who is constantly being criticized for the way he led and how his teammates felt about him. Usually in order to be great you have to make enemies, you have to have someone push you in order to push back.

Jazmyn was one of the few that was great and wasn't constantly being hated on. Of course there's people who didn't like her, but she didn't make enemies on her way to the top. Every person she served with she encouraged to be better but in a way where they didn't despise her. They all learned from watching her and being challenged by her in the best ways possible. Yes she ended up on top but not by stepping on people on the way up, she was a example and a inspiration and people respect that.

And even after I give her the letters I asked people to write to me about her, even after she's inspired so many people, she won't see what she means to this world. How it's such a better place with her in it.

"What's this" she asks as I set a scrap book in her lap. I sit down next to her as I open the book up.

"This is a scrapbook but like... a war scrap book" I start as she looks at me.

"What the hell is a war scrap book" she giggles.

"That came out wrong" I insist. "It's letters and pictures from your friends you served with. I asked people to tell me their greatest memories of you so I can see what all you've done. So you can see what all you've done. Some were hard to get ahold of because they're still fighting. But they were all excited to write about you and send some pictures your way. I put them together in this scrap book, I tried to make it more like a timeline but not everyone could remember exactly when you guys served together or it was multiple tours so it happened over time. But for the most part everything's in order with their pictures. I even got some newspaper clippings from your dad that he saved from when you were honored in the paper for anything" I explain.

"Anthony" she whispered as a smile grows on her face. She starts to get tears in her eye and I knew I hit a soft spot. She doesn't think about these things a lot because it made her emotional. But I know she needs to see just how loved she is. "This is the sweetest thing ever. I don't even know what to say" she whispers.

"You mean everything to me. And you mean a lot to a lot of other people too. I wanted you to see that" I explain.

So we sit there and read through some of the things people said. I filled up fifty pages front and back within a week of communicating with people. I still have some things coming in but I'll have to make another scrap book at this point.

She reads everyone stories and memories that makes what she did seem not so bad. No one said anything about the bad times they might have had, but that was for the greater good of everyone. Surprisingly enough they had a lot of good times out there and I loved hearing the stories.

"Oh my god" she laughs as she turns a page. I see a picture of her doing a handstand on the side of a building with another guy and my heart still does flip. It made me nervous that they were doing that but obviously they both got down safe. "Jimmy was the bad influencer of our group. I wonder what he has to say" she wonders. So we read what he said and it makes my heart happy.

"Jazmyn is someone I will always remember. All the lessons she taught me, all the things of life she showed me. She had me on the edge of life sometimes, just like this picture, but we never fell off. She let me be myself and let me know I was a important part of what we were trying to do, even though a lot of people didn't understand me. She had showed the greatest act of leadership and compassion I've ever seen. The army is hard, it can break the toughest of people. But if you ever needed someone to talk to or someone to just listen you can come to her. We trusted her with our lives and I still would. No one did what she did or as well as she did it. It's like something of Legend you'll tell your kids when they get older. I'm so thankful to serve under her and have a little bit of brightness in such dark times.
-Lt. James."

"Wow" she gasps. "That was so sweet. I had no idea he thought that of me" she admits.

"Every letter in here is like that. All these memories people have of you, they're amazing. Just like mine" I insist. "And there's something special on the last page" I tell her.

So she flips to the back where there was a picture of her, Mathew and his brother Terry. I'm not sure where they were but they were all in a bar in their uniforms happy as ever. He wrote about three pages about her and it was the most heart felt thing.

"How" she sniffles.

"I have my ways Commander Thomas" I tease as she smiles.

She reads me what he said and I hang on to every word.

"The worst day of my life was when we were under attack in Afghanistan and I was trapped under some rubble. Most everyone left because the area was deemed unsafe and I didn't think anyone was coming back from me. But Jazz was the kind of person who valued every single solider. We weren't just replaceable humans in her eyes. We were all important and had a specific job in what we brought to the team. And we were valued in her eyes, that means a lot in the army. We're given numbers and we don't get treated like humans a lot of times. Training was hard and the war was even harder. But she believed in everyone, she valued everyone's life. When she came back for me I knew I was going to make it, because she wasn't going to let me die. This was before she had even met my brother, before she was set to become my sister. From the start she was special and that's what I admire most about her.

I lost a lot fighting over seas, my brother, watching my kids grow up, but I also found hope that there are people who love more than they hate. Who cares more about others than herself. I'm so happy that she was my general, my sister, and I hope she knows just how lucky I feel to have been a part of her life. Even though Mathew is gone I still feel like she's my sister. I still feel like I can rely on her for anything I need in life.

And for Jazmyn, I can't wait to see you again. Until then, keep your head up.
- Love, your brother Terry."