Posted via Facebook on 4-17-18 by Detrel Howell, daughter of Helen Woodson Howell.

It was all a dream ... or so it seems. To awaken & reflect on everything that happened yesterday:

- The torrential rainstorm that threatened to make yesterday’s happiness not happen at all;

- God allowing the sun to shine in the afternoon;

- Laura, from the Mets organization letting me know that the game was ‘On!’

- My sister arriving at Citi Field in 10 minutes from Baldwin, LI (I hadn’t even left my office in the Bronx    & she calls me ‘lead foot’);

- Parking in the Press Lot w/the Special Guests;

- Being ushered into the arena, escorted through a tunnel honoring ‘legends’ ... my hero, Jackie Robinson ~ I’d just watched Miss Rachel the night before at the arena because it was the anniversary of J.R. breaking barriers in major league baseball;

- Walking through the lounge where my family & I were invited to return for food, drinks, snacks and WARMTH as often as we chose;

- Being shown to front row seats ~ between home plate and the Nationals’ dugout;

* All the while I’m saying ‘wow!’ My sister said - is that what you’re going to say all night?! (and, I certainly did!)

- Countless CF staff approaching ‘me’ to shake ‘my’ hand, thank me for my service and to give me an overview of how I’d be led onto the field ~ my stomach started to ‘flip’

- The players hit the field and they were close enough for me to touch;

- The moment arrived for me to step onto the field and that big smile just stayed stuck;

- Doing as I was instructed, I faced the jumbotron & watched my photos from Desert Storm (me with SGT Artimus & my girl, Tammie Harris) on display for all to see - they said my name & it echoed in my ears and my spirit that that was ‘me!’

- Only those who lived through those days and nights in Dhahran when bombs literally were flying overhead, not knowing if we would be hit, gearing up for a nerve gas attack would ever know the true fear we faced; (no, I don’t speak about the experience very often or how it took years for me not to shake when sirens would blare or loud announcements were made that caused me to think back on those days when we were warned of missile attacks — the ‘Scud Launch’ alarms!

- The 1st kudo I saw on FB about being seen on tv came from my brother-from-another-mother, George Littlejohn and I was blown away;

- I made it back to my seat, overwhelmed with emotions, missing my biggest supporter: my mother, the one who saluted me with a block party when I came home a combat veteran; the one who had stacks of vhs tapes with every news story about the war; The one who kept the Christmas tree up & decorated until I returned home the following summer; the one who tied yellow ribbons around every tree on Edgewood Court and being surrounded by my Ride Or Dies: Dejani, Dakiya & Dereth.

- Y’all saw the video, I let the tears flow...

I stand in the shadows of others, I sound the alarm on behalf of many, there are days when I take oral beatdowns, my character has been attacked in major ways, I have been misunderstood quite a bit - but my heart remains the same, my faith in God never wavers and the joy that I have for ALL of your kind words, text messages, phone calls and endless support runs deep!

 

I’m feeling blessed, I know I’ve monopolized your timeline — sorry — thank you to my friend & Deacon at GSCC, Scott Wright and the Combat Wounded Veterans of America for making yesterday my reality.

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Editor’s note: During the NY Mets-Washington Nationals baseball game at Citi Field on 4-16-18, cousin Detrel was honored as the Veteran of the Game for her military service. On behalf of our entire family worldwide, we salute her not only for her military career, but for being the wonderful and kind person she is through and through. Thank you.