It was a cold wet morning, it had been raining the night before and my mother just kept panicking every time she heard something. She had a bad felling and when she had those it was because something was about to happen, I didn’t pay much attention to it since I never really understood what she said. I kept playing with my toys, and my little brother was just laying on the couch we kept talking about the arrival of my older brother next week from the military. He had been away for a year now and he was do to return tomorrow, I was really happy that he was coming back since he was the only one that ever really understood me. My mom was in the kitchen cleaning up some things before making breakfast I could already smell the hot coffee she was preparing and I was just craving the flavor of the hot coffee with cookies that she would sometimes give us when she was in a good mood. I saw her standing their just looking out the window surprised and curious to see what was going on, but all I saw was a black car parked right outside out house. It was a 1953 Chevy bell-air I was somewhat exited because I liked those car's even though I knew we would never afford something like that I figured that it was good enough to dream.

My father on the other hand never though much of it, he told me dreams were something we the poor people should never have because it will never happen. But I didn’t care I always imagined myself living a happy life with a loving, caring family that would care for what I have to say. But this car was just what I had always imagined it just amazed me the fact that it was right outside my house and I felt like going and seeing it up close, I kept looking out the window as two men got out of the car. The next thing I heard was my moms coffee mug drop on the floor I heard the shatter on the floor, and I turned my head as my father yelled asking what had happened. My mother just said “Come, I need you. I cant face this on my own” tears poring down her face, I looked at her and asked what was wrong. All she replied “Everything is going to be OK son” I felt like I knew what was going on because she never got like this and she was just fanatically looking for the address book we had in the house. I saw the men in from the black car walking towards, one was wearing a military uniform and the other a black suit with a white shirt and a slim black tie. I tried to see what they wanted to my surprise they were holding a folded flag of the united states. When I realized what they had in their hands I turned to my mother as she opened the door and ran outside, she was yelling and crying to them “Please tell me its not true!!!!!!” she said “it cant be true, you made a mistake, not my little boy” when I heard that I could not help but cry and feel her pain I understood what was going on.

My father ran to her and held her tight he told her everything was going to be ok, he said we would see what happened. That she shouldn’t jump to conclusions, then one of the two men started talking with them. By that time I was already with them and heard him tell her “I am very sorry” the look on her face was just pure shock. I didn’t want to face the fact that my brother was gone but it was something I couldn’t change. When my father heard that he just started crying like never before I had never seen my father so emotional, he was always the strong one in the family. We were all standing outside just crying and unable to understand the situation, my neighbor came by asking what was wrong her son had also joined the military the same day as my brother. And when she saw the flag she noticed what was wrong and hugged my mother, she asked the man if her son was OK. All he told her was that he was going to be fine, that he could not discuss the information with her because it was military business. Everyone knew each other in my little town of Biloxi Mississippi. So the news literally broke through the whole town in no time, my uncle was the first one to get here which was weird because he had not talked to us in over a year.

Right before my brother left for the military we talked and asked him to come my mom was having a panic attack and she said she couldn’t breath my uncle told her to calm down because we didn’t need things to get to out of hand. My mother did relax a little but still she was having problems breathing my aunt made her a tea to calm her nerves, and she was just in the couch sitting and she would think of something or look at a picture of him and she would start crying again. I was very sad to face the fact about my brothers death but I was even more sad to see my mother in that position, my dad was very supportive of her and he was just holding her and telling her he was going to be their for her that he was always going to be their for her regardless of what happened. Out of no where the dore bell rang and it was my brothers military buddy who came to pay his respects. And to give my mother a note that my brother had written for her right before he had passed away, a day before that happened they both wrote letters and traded with each other and said that if one didn’t make it through they would give the other other note to the family. And that’s what he was here to do, he handed it to us and my mother read it.

Dear Family,
I am writing this to let you all know that I love you from the bottom of my heart, I know I've been away for almost almost a year and if you are reading this its probably because I didn’t make it. I just want to let you all know that you raised an amazing son that fought for all of the people in the U.S.A at the end of the day that’s why I came here, when I signed up for this amazing job I knew the consequences that where coming my way. Telling my little brothers I Love them and my father two, and to you mom your the best woman I have ever known and I want to let you know I am truly thankful for everything you've done for me and how you raised me, I would have never gotten to where I am today if it was not for you. Again thank you very much and I hope we see each other soon. Be strong and be happy remember the good things from me. And always keep me in your heart because that’s where I will live. Just know all I thought about was you. My family to the end.








- Johnny
P.S: tell my brother he can keep my things, that theirs something their I was saving for his birthday, and keep my friend in the family. I want him around you guys forever. He has nowhere to go and no family anywhere. Thank You

when she finished reading all she did was cry, then she wiped her tears clean and said I’m not going to cry I need to be strong that’s what he would have wanted. She got up and started cleaning the house, I told her to take a seat and my father told me to take a seat because that was here way of coping with her loss, I understood and just took a seat and starting crying I went into my brothers room and looked around remembering how nice he always was. And I looked in his secret place where he kept all his things and I looked in there which to my surprise was a little piece of paper, a pare of key's, and some money. The note said This is for you! I hope you like it. It was a pare of keys and on the other side of the paper were some instructions and a little map. I told my father what I found and showed him the money it was $300 dollars more than we could have ever imagined my brother having. My father took me to where the note said and it took us to one of his old friends houses. It was a car, my car the 1953 Chevy bel-air. All I thought was it must have been a fortune what he paid for that which was very amazing.
My dad opened it with the keys I had and it worked, and it was my favorite color teal, which made it even better. My father drove it back home and showed my mother I told her she should have it because I wouldn’t be able to drive until I was 18 I was only 15 so it didnt make sence for me to keep it. I also gave her the money for anything she might need around the house or for the funeral. And she was very thankful with me she gave me $20 and I saved that for myself. It was such an emotional day and I can honestly say I still remember him to this day I know wherever he might be he is taking care of me.