Today I went to the mall with my father. We were going suit shopping. Normally, I love going to the mall, swiping my charge, and carrying home bags. But today was very different. We were buying a suit for Shane's upcoming funeral.
The first salesperson we encountered was a flit of a girl. Younger than I am and "not my style," as my dad noted. She wouldn't take his measurements, didn't know how long alterations would take. So we moved on to the next store.
Click "read more" for the rest of my mall encounter and my conversation with Grandpa and Grandma.
Pfc Shane M. Reifert
Shane during a sweep of the Shuryak Valley, approximately 3 weeks before he was killed. Photo Credit: PFC Sean Stromback
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Watch Fox 2 News at 10:00 Tonight
Fox 2 News reporter Ron Savage came to our house this evening and interviewed my parents and myself about Shane. Please watch the 10:00 news on Fox 2 Detroit tonight to see the story. Mr. Savage was very respectful and I hope the news story does Shane justice.
UPDATE:
Apparently we are a now a "grieving family." Visit the Fox News Detroit site below to see part of the interview we gave:
Grieving Family Remembers Pfc Reifert
I thought that the segment was good, although we probably talked to Mr. Savage (the reporter) for roughly 20 minutes. I suppose I shouldn't take things personally, since the lead story on the news tonight was about a girl who was raped and then hung herself. That, and medical marijuana.
UPDATE:
Apparently we are a now a "grieving family." Visit the Fox News Detroit site below to see part of the interview we gave:
Grieving Family Remembers Pfc Reifert
I thought that the segment was good, although we probably talked to Mr. Savage (the reporter) for roughly 20 minutes. I suppose I shouldn't take things personally, since the lead story on the news tonight was about a girl who was raped and then hung herself. That, and medical marijuana.
We All Die Alone
I just want to wake up from this nightmare and find out that all of this has been some sort of cosmic cruel joke. That we're just being punked. That there's been a mistake and Shane is alive and well and still out there taking names and kicking ass.
I keep thinking about his autopsy. How he would have been sliced open on a cold slab. How his organs would have been weighed and then placed back inside with care, in a methodical and scientific manner. How he is now alone in a cold box. How I want to rip my heart out of my chest and give it to my brother so that he doesn't have to be in a cold and sterile box. How we all die alone.
"Every living creature on earth dies alone."
-- Donnie Darko
I keep thinking about his autopsy. How he would have been sliced open on a cold slab. How his organs would have been weighed and then placed back inside with care, in a methodical and scientific manner. How he is now alone in a cold box. How I want to rip my heart out of my chest and give it to my brother so that he doesn't have to be in a cold and sterile box. How we all die alone.
"Every living creature on earth dies alone."
-- Donnie Darko
Update on Donations
Please click the link to learn how to donate directly on this blog or where donors may send checks if they choose.
Reporters, the Media, Articles on Shane
Reporters are an interesting breed. One of my close friends is a former reporter and an incredibly kind, even-keeled individual, but I've been learning over the past few days that there are other types of reporters. In the 24-hour news cycle we live in, I can appreciate the need to push stories out. But bothering my extended family because papers are impatient to get a story out while we were in Delaware seemed offensive. One reporter whose call I was returning impatiently asked, "Who are you, again?" She did not get comments from me or my family.
The Times Herald initially had an article written by Liz Shepard that did a great disservice to Shane and my family. However, yesterday I had the privilege of speaking with Crystal Garcia. She was very kind and did not mince any of my words in her beautiful article, which is linked to below. I think that her article captures the spirit of Shane and that he would have approved.
Click "read more" for The Times Herald Link and another link to a Fox 2 News report.
The Times Herald initially had an article written by Liz Shepard that did a great disservice to Shane and my family. However, yesterday I had the privilege of speaking with Crystal Garcia. She was very kind and did not mince any of my words in her beautiful article, which is linked to below. I think that her article captures the spirit of Shane and that he would have approved.
Click "read more" for The Times Herald Link and another link to a Fox 2 News report.
Final Arrival
Two months ago, I had a secret. And it was that Shane was coming home on September 9th. Shane had told my parents that he was beginning the process to come home on leave, but he made me promise that I would not tell them the exact day that he would be home. So we told some fibs and made my parents think that he was stuck in Kuwait when I knew he would be arriving in Detroit on a Thursday.
I made an embarassingly glittery sign to hold. I packed a bag with chocolate chip cookies and Monster energy drinks for in the car. And when I got a text from Shane telling me when his flight would get in, I could not get to the airport fast enough.
I stood waiting in baggage claim, wanting to jump out of my skin with excitement. As it so often does during great anticipation or dread, time slowed down.
And then I saw a pair of Army boots on the escalator, followed by an ACU (Army Combat Uniform), and finally my brother's face. I dropped my purse and sign and wrapped my arms around him in a bear hug. People were clapping. I breathed him in so deeply. When I finally let go, my muscles hurt from embracing him so tightly. We were both a little teary eyed and had the widest smiles possible. Shane was home. Everything was going to be alright.
I made an embarassingly glittery sign to hold. I packed a bag with chocolate chip cookies and Monster energy drinks for in the car. And when I got a text from Shane telling me when his flight would get in, I could not get to the airport fast enough.
I stood waiting in baggage claim, wanting to jump out of my skin with excitement. As it so often does during great anticipation or dread, time slowed down.
And then I saw a pair of Army boots on the escalator, followed by an ACU (Army Combat Uniform), and finally my brother's face. I dropped my purse and sign and wrapped my arms around him in a bear hug. People were clapping. I breathed him in so deeply. When I finally let go, my muscles hurt from embracing him so tightly. We were both a little teary eyed and had the widest smiles possible. Shane was home. Everything was going to be alright.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Memories of Shane
If anyone would like to share memories of Shane, or write a message for him, please feel free to do so under this post.
I don't know quite where he is in the universe, but I know he can still feel all of the love that everyone has for him.
I don't know quite where he is in the universe, but I know he can still feel all of the love that everyone has for him.
Birds Seen Flying Around, You Never See Them Too Long on the Ground
"Mr. Rager, Tell me where you're going, Tell me where you're headed."
"I'm on my way to heaven."
"Mr. Rager, Can we tag along, Can we take that journey?"
--Kid Cudi's "Mr Rager"
My brother loved music more than anyone I know. He was a talented guitar player and has piles and piles of CDs. Even though MP3s are now the most common way we obtain our music, Shane still much preferred owning CDs. Maybe it was the physicality of it all -- the anticipation involved in opening the plastic wrapper, the sound of releasing the disk from its case, flipping through liner notes. But there were many times when I would take him to Record Time and we would wander aimlessly around the store until we had collected our treasures, arguing about which CD would be played first.
I am much more impatient than Shane, so I would always want to skip ahead. But Shane always insisted on listening to the whole album through, from track one until the end. It was sacred. A ritual for him.
Kid Cudi's sophomore album "Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager" came out today. Kid Cudi was one of the few artists that I got to tell Shane about. He was usually slightly ahead of the pack when it came to music. The first time that Shane listened to Kid Cudi was on family weekend during Basic. We were driving somewhere in Georgia, sitting in the backseat with my parents in the front, just like when we were kids on road trips. He was so very quiet and not sure how to act around human beings who weren't in uniforms. He had a hard time being in a civilian vehicle and not being told what to do. I didn't quite know who he was. So I handed him my ipod, telling him to just listen. And he did, to "Pursuit of Happiness." And Cudi's lyrics were something that touched him deeply. He reached over and squeezed my hand, and I knew that he was still my brother.
I'm not yet able to listen to "Pursuit of Happiness" because it's too much of a close memory for me of Shane. I know it will be a long while before I can hear that song. Before he was killed, "Pursuit of Happiness" was one of the songs that gave me comfort. I would turn it on as loudly as possible in my car and drive to no where in particular, always with the memory of Shane listening to the song in Georgia. I look forward to the day that I will be able to hear the familiar beat and take comfort in the lyrics again.
Today though, in Shane's memory, I listened to "Man on the Moon II" from start to finish, without skipping a single track.
"I'm on my way to heaven."
"Mr. Rager, Can we tag along, Can we take that journey?"
--Kid Cudi's "Mr Rager"
My brother loved music more than anyone I know. He was a talented guitar player and has piles and piles of CDs. Even though MP3s are now the most common way we obtain our music, Shane still much preferred owning CDs. Maybe it was the physicality of it all -- the anticipation involved in opening the plastic wrapper, the sound of releasing the disk from its case, flipping through liner notes. But there were many times when I would take him to Record Time and we would wander aimlessly around the store until we had collected our treasures, arguing about which CD would be played first.
I am much more impatient than Shane, so I would always want to skip ahead. But Shane always insisted on listening to the whole album through, from track one until the end. It was sacred. A ritual for him.
Kid Cudi's sophomore album "Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager" came out today. Kid Cudi was one of the few artists that I got to tell Shane about. He was usually slightly ahead of the pack when it came to music. The first time that Shane listened to Kid Cudi was on family weekend during Basic. We were driving somewhere in Georgia, sitting in the backseat with my parents in the front, just like when we were kids on road trips. He was so very quiet and not sure how to act around human beings who weren't in uniforms. He had a hard time being in a civilian vehicle and not being told what to do. I didn't quite know who he was. So I handed him my ipod, telling him to just listen. And he did, to "Pursuit of Happiness." And Cudi's lyrics were something that touched him deeply. He reached over and squeezed my hand, and I knew that he was still my brother.
I'm not yet able to listen to "Pursuit of Happiness" because it's too much of a close memory for me of Shane. I know it will be a long while before I can hear that song. Before he was killed, "Pursuit of Happiness" was one of the songs that gave me comfort. I would turn it on as loudly as possible in my car and drive to no where in particular, always with the memory of Shane listening to the song in Georgia. I look forward to the day that I will be able to hear the familiar beat and take comfort in the lyrics again.
Today though, in Shane's memory, I listened to "Man on the Moon II" from start to finish, without skipping a single track.
Funeral Arrangements
At this time, we do not yet have funeral arrangements for Shane. But as soon as this information is available, we will be alerting everyone to the details.
Donate in Shane's Memory
Many have started to inquire if they can send flowers and to what location.
My family and I have discussed this option and have decided that, in lieu of flowers, we will be accepting donations that will directly benefit Shane's brothers.
While Shane's fight has ended, his brothers are still fighting in Afghanistan out of the 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, of the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. 100% of the donations will purchase these brave men equipment, gear, clothing (such as gloves or other cold weather gear), or anything else that would benefit them as they continue their fight in Afghanistan. We feel that this is what Shane would have truly wanted. My family and I will be personally overseeing that your donations are getting supplies that Shane's brothers need.
Donors should be aware that donations may be used to support other soldiers, dependent upon the number received.
How Can I Donate?
You can donate directly via this blog site, using the PayPal "Donate Now" button.
1. Click the "Donate Now" button, located on the right hand side of the screen.
2. Enter your donation amount.
3. Click "Update Total."
4. If you have a PayPal account, use the "Log In to PayPal" box and enter your account information.
5. If you will be donating by credit card, click "Continue" under the text "Don't have a PayPal account" in order to donate.
UPDATE
If you do not have a credit card or PayPal account but still wish to make a donation, you can make the check out to Kathleen Reifert (my and Shane's mom) and send it to:
105 Fairbanks
Suite 200
Marine City, MI 48039
Please be aware that even though the check is to my mom, this is at this time the donations are going into a joint back account she shares with my brother. 100% of all donations will directly benefit Shane's brothers who are still fighting.
My family and I have discussed this option and have decided that, in lieu of flowers, we will be accepting donations that will directly benefit Shane's brothers.
While Shane's fight has ended, his brothers are still fighting in Afghanistan out of the 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, of the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. 100% of the donations will purchase these brave men equipment, gear, clothing (such as gloves or other cold weather gear), or anything else that would benefit them as they continue their fight in Afghanistan. We feel that this is what Shane would have truly wanted. My family and I will be personally overseeing that your donations are getting supplies that Shane's brothers need.
Donors should be aware that donations may be used to support other soldiers, dependent upon the number received.
How Can I Donate?
You can donate directly via this blog site, using the PayPal "Donate Now" button.
1. Click the "Donate Now" button, located on the right hand side of the screen.
2. Enter your donation amount.
3. Click "Update Total."
4. If you have a PayPal account, use the "Log In to PayPal" box and enter your account information.
5. If you will be donating by credit card, click "Continue" under the text "Don't have a PayPal account" in order to donate.
UPDATE
If you do not have a credit card or PayPal account but still wish to make a donation, you can make the check out to Kathleen Reifert (my and Shane's mom) and send it to:
105 Fairbanks
Suite 200
Marine City, MI 48039
Please be aware that even though the check is to my mom, this is at this time the donations are going into a joint back account she shares with my brother. 100% of all donations will directly benefit Shane's brothers who are still fighting.
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