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2 Desert Wings Commentary April 8, 2016
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Please give tomorrow a chance
by Chief Master Sgt. Steve K. McDonald So many people go through so much worse and make it. I wish I would have looked beyond that
Langley AFB, Va. Sunday morning. I wish I would have realized that I had a life ahead of me. I wish I would have
thought about my future wife and kids ... and baseball games ... and dance recitals ... and nephews
In March 1983, I was 16 years old and a senior in high and nieces ... and family vacations ... and a family dog. I am pretty sure I would have owned a bas-
school. I had a sister who was 17 and a brother who just
turned 19. Through interesting circumstances, we were all set hound. Do you remember the basset hound I had when we were kids?
seniors together.
I know that what I did doesn’t make a lot of sense. I was ation with her own dad. I robbed all of you. I robbed mom
On Sunday, March 4, 1983, my brother committed sui- just dealing with some things that would have been hard to and dad of a son. I robbed you and Sheila of a big brother. I
cide. explain. I know I made some bad choices and that kind of robbed your children of an uncle. I probably would have
caught up with me. It’s hard to believe I could make that been a good uncle. Oh man, I almost forgot about Jimmy.
That was a tough time for our family. I have always big of a mess of my life in only 19 years. I know we all You remember he was the one that found me. I don’t even
wondered how different my life would be if I still had a had our problems growing up. Dad was hard on us. But want to think about the impact of that initial sight on his
big brother. you know as well as I do that he had a rough life. Maybe if life. That wasn’t fair. I should not have done that.
his life was different, mine would have turned out different
This letter is an attempt to get people to realize that as well. Sorry, there I go wondering again. I know I can’t I wish I could go back in time but that’s not possible. I
permanent actions to temporary problems may have last- blame my choice on him. wish I would have realized that those things I was dealing
ing effects on others. To think that everyone would be with weren’t going to last forever.
better off without an individual is just wrong. The future As I was saying, I was going through a tough time.
holds so much promise. There is always hope. Please give I didn’t think I could talk to you. You seemed to have So many people go through so much worse and make it. I
tomorrow a chance. a better handle on things and I am not sure you would wish I would have looked beyond that Sunday morning. I
have understood what I was facing. And we had just had wish I would have realized that I had a life ahead of me. I
Dear Steve, WKDW¿JKWDFRXSOHRIZHHNVEHIRUH:K\GLGZH¿JKWVR wish I would have thought about my future wife and kids
Hey, how have you been? It has been a while. I wanted PXFK"6HHPVOLNHWKHUHZDVZD\WRRPXFK¿JKWLQJJRLQJ ... and baseball games ... and dance recitals ... and nephews
on in our house. We were some stubborn kids. Remember and nieces ... and family vacations ... and a family dog. I
to just take a moment to tell you that I am sorry. WKDWWLPHZHJRWLQD¿JKWEHFDXVH\RXZDQWHGWRFKDQJH am pretty sure I would have owned a basset hound. Do you
I know that, by now, you have probably moved on with the TV channel? Doesn’t seem so important now, does remember the basset hound I had when we were kids?
LW"0D\EHLIZHGLGQ¶W¿JKWVRPXFKZHZRXOGKDYHWDONHG
life and I may be nothing more than a passing thought or PRUH:RZ,GLGLWDJDLQ2XU¿JKWLQJGLGQ¶WIRUFHPH If I could ask one thing of you, it would be to please share
an occasional mention in a conversation. into my decision ... it was my decision alone. I will try to my story with others. Please tell them that problems are
stay on track here. temporary. Please tell them there is a future regardless of
But I can’t help but wonder what our lives would have what life looks like at that point in time. Please tell them that
been like if I didn’t make that decision. My point is that I am extremely sorry for what I did. It there are people who need them ... people who love them ...
ZDVVHO¿VK,ZDVQ¶WWKLQNLQJDERXWGDGPRP6KHLODRU people who care about them. Please tell them to look past
What would I be doing? I wonder what kind of job I you. I was just thinking about me and I didn’t want to deal their own Sunday morning. Please tell them it will get bet-
would have? Would I have a family like yours with an with stuff anymore. ter. Please tell them there is hope. Please tell them to give
amazing wife and wonderful children? What would my tomorrow a chance.
children be doing? I can almost imagine having a little I know that my decision had a huge impact on your life
girl and seeing her grow up into a beautiful young lady. ... .on all of your lives. Your life is different because of Steve, please forgive me. I was wrong. I know that now
Or maybe a son who grew up to be a baseball player and what I did. but it is too late. Please tell mom and Sheila that I am sorry
we could have spent time playing catch. You do remember also. I miss you more than you know.
that I liked playing baseball, don’t you? You probably also I know mom doesn’t understand why I did it. I can only
remember we played football when we were younger. Oh, imagine how much it hurt her. Especially knowing the situ- Love,
the days when we were young and our major concerns were Gene
¿JKWLQJ¿JKWVZHFRXOGZLQDQGJHWWLQJWKHFXWHVWJLUO-
friend. Sorry, I am getting away from the reason I wanted
to write. It’s just so easy to wonder what my life would
have been. But, of course, all I can do is wonder.
Commander’s
Action Line
email: speak2cc@edwards.af.mil
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