Going into our last month as we close in on our goal of running the marathon and make our final fundraising push I have decided to change this page to more of a personal message. For those who are unfamiliar with this page a small group of us have decided to run the Marine Corps Marathon this year to remember our friends we lost five years ago on the night Wrath 11 crashed, and to the other AFSOC aviators we have lost along the way. The charity we have chosen to raise funds for is the SOF Warrior Foundation, a great organization that will pay for the children of fallen special operators, to go to college without having to worry about the cost. This ensures the children get the proper start in life without the loved ones left behind having to worry about how to afford that expense. More about this charity can be found on the link to the left.

The reason this event and cause is so important to me is because it is my feeble attempt to make a difference in remembrance of friends that changed my life forever.  I had the honor and privilege of flying with and knowing almost everyone on the crew that night just over five years ago but when this event happened I was no longer a part of their squadron.  The Air Force had decided it was time for my family and I to move on and when we received the news of the accident it was on April 1st and I thought this must be the worst April fools joke that someone could have ever thought up. I was instantly devastated because I knew Todd was gone right then and I figured he was there so I knew there was a chance he might be involve.  Either way I knew I would have many great friends on the crew. 

I will never forget the day I got to meet Todd and his family since I was fortunate enough to be their sponsors as they came out to join our squadron in England. I instantly knew we would become lifelong friends. Todd was the type of friend anyone is lucky to have in their life. He had an uncanny ability to know when you needed advice and when you just needed someone to listen.  He always was there to cheer you up, help you out or just make your day better by having a good conversation.  Given that the squadron was overseas and so far away from family and relatives, you came to count on friends and squadron mates like Todd and so many others on this crew.  They took care of the things that your family normally would, they watched your house when you were away, they watched your kids for a night out, they took care of your wife and family when it was time for you to be on the road and Todd certainly did all of that for me. They were the people you share holidays with and make memories along side. It was through all of this that I came to think of Todd more like a brother and less like a friend. Earlier I alluded to the fact I knew Todd was on the road because I had tried contacting him because we were going to talk about his family coming out to join us again at the new unit we had just moved to but he informed me he would be gone for a few weeks and to call when he got back.  I never got to make that call and as word came in of the members of Wrath 11 I found myself in a new home away from all of those squadron mates that I grew up with not knowing where to turn for help.

It was here that the beauty of a community such as ours begins to kick in.  Even though I was the new guy and didn't know a lot of people all that well everyone instantly knew that my family and a couple others that had just left that unit where hurting and in need of help.  We instantly had more help that we knew what to do with.  Our new family bonded around us to ease the pain that we were feeling so deeply at that moment. In fact it is now many members of that new unit that gathered around my family in our time of suffering that our joining me in this race. To all of those friends that reached out to me during that time, I am forever grateful and cannot express how much your help meant to me. Unfortunately I never got a chance to make that call to my friend that I lost that night and believe me when I say I have stories and fond memories of each the members of that crew that fell on that fateful night five years ago in their pursuit of perfection.  I hope they all know how much I miss them and the impact they all made in my life. To Todd you were a friend like no other, a better man than I could ever be and I miss you greatly to this day. I hope you know that I will do everything in my power to ensure your girls get the start in life they deserve.

To everyone who may read this please realize that is merely my reasoning for participating in this event and each runner has their own reasons for taking part.  As we close in on this event and I know times are tight for everyone I ask you to find a way to be as generous as you see fit.  Nothing can change the way I feel about the importance of this but all I can do is ask you to give whatever you feel you can. Realize every little donation helps, if just 100 past present or future AFSOC members can give just 50 bucks ($25 a paycheck) between now and the event we would raise another $5K prior to race day.  Meaning we all would be running for close to a $20,000 contribution made to this great charity on behalf of my friends that are no longer with us and anyone else that should be remembered in a similar way. If any of you have stories about the members of the crew of Wrath 11 or other AFSOC members we have lost please get them to me and we will carry them with us as we race. Please give what you can and if you can meet us out at the finish line we would love to see you there as a chance to share stories and make new memories. I will be stopping by the grave sites to pay my respects to those memories that have gotten me through these many months and miles of training.  Respectfully-Corky Nestor