God Bless the Charleston Nine

When something happens close to home and I feel strongly about it, I usually can sit and write about it immediately. When the Sofa Super Center, in Charleston, South Carolina, caught fire on June 18th, 2007, and we lost the nine heroes in that tragedy, I thought I could do it again. I was wrong. I was numb. I couldn't even think because it hit close to home for me. So, now, I sit and I write this for what it is worth.

My uncle, my father's brother, was a firefighter, so when the fire of the Sofa Super Center was announced on the television, I thought it was just another fire. That was until I heard the news of the of the nine firefighters that were missing. That's when it hit close to home. If my uncle was still a fireman, he could have been one of the ones missing. He could have lost his life in that horrendous disaster. I say this because he was a firemen with one of the teams that fought to put that fire out. He had to retire from that many years ago because of medical reasons, but I am sure, if he was able to still be a fireman, he would be. I have no doubt in him. Even if that meant he lost his life putting out the fire and saving the lives of ones trapped inside; that's just the type of man my uncle is.

Today, it has been more than a year since the tragedy of the Sofa Super Center. It's hard to believe it has been more than a year. See, I told you I was numb and couldn't write. Well, now I am. I went to Charleston today. Not with the intent of going to pay my tributes to the fallen nine, but for a trip I make every weekend. It just so happened I had to pass by the former center. When I drove by and saw the memorial and the ruins, it was like a dream. It was like I was dreaming as I was driving by. To see it was just unfathomable. I turned around and pulled into the gas station next door to get out and have a look.

The shirts, the flowers, the memorials, the roses and the crosses placed at the site honoring the fallen nine firefighters was spine tingling. Hard to believe people are still paying homage to those nine men that lost their lives at this site and it's been over a year. Just standing there amidst the ruins where they lost their lives would make anyone cry. I saw people there from Florence and another person from Myrtle Beach. They came from all over just to pay their respects the way I did today. It was a moment worth beholding.

I stood there, paid my respects and walked back to my Trailblazer with a heavy heart. I thought of my uncle again. It could have been him. He could have been a heroe that day. Instead, we lost nine courageous heroes that deserve all that God will give them. God bless all nine of them and their families. May they rest in peace and may the family seek comfort from those that cared to pay their respects at the site like I did today. I know I found comfort just being there.