Home for Christmas

(December 4, 2006)

Anita and I burst with pride as we looked at the handsome young soldier standing at attention on the Poway stage. We both knew he would much rather have been watching the USC-UCLA football game. That’s the way Kimo is. Unassuming. Humble. A genuine American Hero!

Jim Thompson, Christ Church’s Director of Music Ministries, and Ruthann Taylor, our soloist, invited Anita’s brother, SSgt Kimo Shearin, to participate in the Poway Center for the Performing Arts’ 2006 Christmas production this past weekend. There were three shows; Friday night, Saturday matinee and Saturday night. It was a magical and wonderful mix of Broadway show tunes and Christmas favorites. Kimo was asked to wear his US Army uniform, full of colorful service awards and medals, and stand with three other members of our military branches as the Rancho Bernardo Chorale sang “I’ll be Home for Christmas.” This served to remind all of us that many of our troops will not be home this Christmas. (Kleenex please!)

Kimo, my brother-in-law and fellow sports enthusiast, is the most humble and unassuming person you may imagine. Anita and I cannot visualize Kimo saying “I c-a-n-‘t H-E-E-E-E-A-R Y-O-O-O-U!!!” to new recruits in boot camp, but he did it well for twenty years. That is; when he wasn’t jumping out of airplanes into combat as a member of the 82nd Airborne Paratroopers in Afghanistan and two tours of duty in Iraq; fighting for our American freedoms.

When RB Chorale soloist introduced the service members, the audience politely applauded. But when she enumerated Kimo’s distinguished career, from Haiti, Granada, Panama, Iraq One, Afghanistan, Korea’s DMZ, Iraq Two, and his unit’s final tour: guarding the ‘Tomb of the Unknown Soldier’, the admiring audience gave Kimo a spontaneous standing ovation (at all three performances). Pat Bean, Director of the RB Chorale, rightly said Kimo is “the most decorated soldier in San Diego”.

Decorated, humble and deserving. Jim Thompson said, “I don’t think Kimo knows how impressive his record is; and how much the Poway-RB community wanted to express their appreciation for his distinguished career.” Then Jim added, “Kimo told me he was never so scared jumping out of planes or fighting the Taliban as he was standing on that Poway stage before 500 people…three different times!”

As a true American hero, Kimo deserves the belated, “Welcome Home!” from a grateful community and nation. Three standing ovations are not enough, but it’s the best we know how to do. We pray all your colleagues will soon be “Home for Christmas” with their families, and that they too will receive the “Welcome Home” they have earned and deserve.

Now Kimo, back to the good stuff you have earned; who are the Lakers playing tonight


From the Quote Garden
“What you call a hero, I call just doing my job.”
~ Author Unknown