Tuesday, January 22, 2008

An American Hero and a life well lived....

An American hero, a brave-soldier, a warrior, blessed child of God. He came home to his family for the last time. He is now home, with Jesus. He IS an example of a man who lived his life well. He gave sacrificially and taught those around him to do the same. He has left a long lasting impression on the hearts of many..Sgt. David Joseph Hart, a good man. All this at the age of 22 years old. How many can say they have accomplished this much in such a short amount of time.






Please pray for the hearts that are broken over this loss...they will surely miss him and the days ahead will be difficult.



David Joseph Hart, loved wholeheartedly. He loved his family and he loved his wife. He was an example.
wholehearted: showing or characterized by complete sincerity and commitment





An excerpt from Los Angeles Times Article - doing as much justice to this young man's life as words can do.....


By Paloma Esquivel, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
January 27, 2008
He was known as the guy with the random stories. "When I was in Tahiti . . ." or "When I was in Sydney . . .," he would tell his Army buddies, who listened intently, if just the slightest bit skeptically.

They needn't have been. As a young man, Sgt. David J. Hart of Lake View Terrace crisscrossed the globe alongside his missionary parents. He'd been to Tahiti, Australia, Mexico, the Philippines, Romania and Hungary, all before enlisting in the Army at age 18.

The years spent traveling the world made Hart unique among young soldiers, instilling in him a deep understanding of the world's diversity and making him particularly careful when communicating with Iraqi citizens.


Hart was born in 1985 at his parents' home in Burbank. The family moved from city to city, living in missionary communities where they built churches and did evangelical work. During their time off, Hart, his brother, Daniel; sister, Sarah; and other children would put on plays and puppet shows to entertain themselves.

As a teenager, Hart toured up and down the California coast, playing the drums and bass in Christian bands. He did missionary work on Native American reservations and in schools. He was 12 when he met his future wife, Nicole, at church. They quickly became best friends, working together on evangelical performances throughout the state, including an anti-drug show prepared for school assemblies in Southern California. She danced; he did the sound.

Hart was 16 when he told Nicole that he planned to marry her. Four years later, they were married at a country club ceremony in Pico Rivera. They were married for 2 1/2 years. Because of his deployments to Iraq, they spent only about a year of that time together.

"I've never respected a man more than my husband," Nicole said. "He was perfect in so many ways. Not a day went by without him telling me how much he loved me."

While his father spoke eloquently about the compassion his son showed toward others, Nicole remembered the man she married as a "warrior," something she did not want lost on family and friends as they mourned.

"David was not a victim," she told the family's pastor when she learned of his death. "He went to serve his country and serve us, and if it meant dying, he was ready for that."

Hart, who was on his second tour of duty in Iraq, was mortally wounded when he rushed into the middle of the firefight to help an injured soldier. For his actions, he was awarded a Bronze Star with valor, one of the military's highest honors.

Two other soldiers died in the firefight: Pfc. Ivan E. Merlo, 19, of San Marcos, Calif.; and Pfc. Phillip J. Pannier, 20, of Washburn, Ill. All three were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Ft. Campbell, Ky.


A Life lived so well the lasting impression will not fade away....thank you
Sgt. David Joseph Hart



Here is a picture of the family with David...please keep them in your prayers they are as precious as he.....I love them so much.....

1 comment:

Deitra Shoemaker said...

Wow, this really touched my heart, especially that he and his wife only got to spend a year together married. And the picture of her at his coffin . . . no words can express the grief of that picture. Thank you Lisa for sharing this with us. My prayers are with his wife, his family and all those who are grieving the loss of this amazing young man.