Page 4 - Desert Lightning News 5-6-16

4 May 6, 2016
Please give tomorrow a chance
CMSgt Steve K. McDonald
ACC Command Chief
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- In March
1983, I was 16 years old and a senior in high school. I
had a sister who was 17 and a brother who just turned
19. Through interesting circumstances, we were all se-
niors together. On Sunday, 4 March 1983, my brother
committed suicide. That was a tough time for our fam-
ily. I have always wondered how different my life would
be if I still had a big brother. This letter is an attempt
to get people to realize that permanent actions to tem-
porary problems may have lasting effects on others. To
think that everyone would be better off without an indi-
vidual is just wrong. The future holds so much promise.
There is always hope. Please give tomorrow a chance.
Dear Steve,
Hey,howhaveyoubeen? Ithasbeenawhile.Iwanted
to just take a moment to tell you that I am sorry. I know
that, by now, you have probably moved on with life and
I may be nothing more than a passing thought or an oc-
casional mention in a conversation. But I can’t help but
wonder what our lives would have been like if I didn’t
make that decision. What would I be doing? I wonder
what kind of job I would have? Would I have a family
like yours with an amazing wife and wonderful children?
Whatwouldmychildrenbedoing? Icanalmostimagine
having a little girl and seeing her grow up into a beautiful
young lady. Or maybe a son who grew up to be a base-
ball player and we could have spent time playing catch.
You do remember that I liked playing baseball, don’t you?
You probably also remember we played football when
wewereyounger. Oh,thedayswhenwewereyoungand
Licensed to Represent Taxpayers Before the IRS
Lance A. Bonlender, EA
SMSgt. (ret.) Enrolled Agent
Services Provided Include:
t Individual Tax Return Preparation
t IRS Tax Representation 7479 E. Broadway Blvd, Ste. 101
t Offer in Compromise Tucson, AZ 85710-0413
t Audits Phone: (520) 320-0050
t Appeals Fax: (520) 795-3412
t State Tax Representation
Lance@LBTaxServices.com
www.LBTaxServices.com
FYUtXXXQETDPVOUSZDMVCDPN
www.aerotechnews.com/davis-monthanafb
Facebook.com/DesertLightningNews
ourmajorconcernswerefightingfightswecouldwinand
gettingthecutestgirlfriend. Sorry,Iamgettingawayfrom
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.
IknowthatwhatIdiddoesn’tmakealotofsense. Iwas
just dealing with some things that would have been hard
toexplain. IknowImadesomebadchoicesandthatkind
of caught up with me. It’s hard to believe I could make
that big of a mess of my life in only 19 years. I know we all
had our problems growing up. Dad was hard on us. But
you know as well as I do that he had a rough life. Maybe
if his life was different, mine would have turned out dif-
ferent as well. Sorry, there I go wondering again. I know I
can’t blame my choice on him.
As I was saying, I was going through a tough time. I
didn’t think I could talk to you. You seemed to have a bet-
ter handle on things and I am not sure you would have
understood what I was facing. And we had just had that
fightacoupleofweeksbefore. Whydidwefightsomuch?
Seems like there was way too much fighting going on in
ourhouse.Weweresomestubbornkids. Rememberthat
time we got in a fight because you wanted to change the
TV channel? Doesn’t seem so important now, does it?
Maybe if we didn’t fight so much, we would have talked
more.Wow,Ididitagain. Ourfightingdidn’tforcemeinto
my decision...it was my decision alone. I will try to stay on
track here.
My point is that I am extremely sorry for what I did. It
was selfish. I wasn’t thinking about dad, mom, Sheila or
you. IwasjustthinkingaboutmeandIdidn’twanttodeal
with stuff anymore. I know that my decision had a huge
impactonyourlife....onallofyourlives.Yourlifeisdifferent
because of what I did. I know mom doesn’t understand
ATTENTION GOLFERS:
Do you know that you can play
a round of golf for $5.37 a day!
It’s true! Pueblo del Sol Country Club has golf
memberships available with no initiation fee and only
$163.26 per month (3 month minimum applies).
Membership will enable you access to:
%SJWJOH3BOHFt4XJNNJOH4QB'BDJMJUJFT
1SJWBUF5FOOJT$PVSUTt%JOJOH%JTDPVOUBU)VNNJOHCJSE(SJMMF
We also have a variety of tee
times available to the public
each and every day.
Military discount
for active military.
4U"OESFXT%SJWFt4JFSSB7JTUB
Desert Lightning News
whyIdidit.Icanonlyimaginehowmuchithurther. Espe-
ciallyknowingthesituationwithherowndad.Irobbedall
of you. I robbed mom and dad of a son. I robbed you and
Sheilaofabigbrother. Irobbedyourchildrenofanuncle.
I probably would have been a good uncle. Oh man, I al-
most forgot about Jimmy. You remember he was the one
that found me. I don’t even want to think about the im-
pactofthatinitialsightonhislife.Thatwasn’tfair. Ishould
not have done that.
I wish I could go back in time but that’s not possible. I
wish I would have realized that those things I was deal-
ing with weren’t going to last forever. So many people go
through so much worse and make it. I wish I would have
looked beyond that 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 and nieces...and
familyvacations...andafamilydog.IamprettysureIwould
haveownedabassethound.Doyourememberthebasset
houndIhadwhenwewerekids?
If I could ask one thing of you, it would be to please
sharemystorywithothers. Pleasetellthemthatproblems
are temporary. Please tell them there is a future regard-
less of what life looks like at that point in time. Please tell
them that there are people who need them...people who
love them...people who care about them. Please tell them
to look past their own Sunday morning. Please tell them
it will get better. Please tell them there is hope. Please tell
them to give tomorrow a chance.
Steve,pleaseforgiveme.Iwaswrong. Iknowthatnow
butitistoolate. PleasetellmomandSheilathatIamsorry
also. I miss you more than you know.
Love,
Gene
Harry Schlosser,
M.D.
U.S.A.F. Colonel,
Retired
Welcoming Ryan C. Teeple, M.D.
OPHTHALMOLOGIST
Cataract Surgery
Glaucoma
Eye Exams
Diabetic Eye Problems
We accept TriCare, MediCare
and most other insurance plans
5635 E. Grant Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85712
520.721.7995