Family Friday - Alexis
Not only did our brothers serve the army but they were both Rangers which is an elite unit in the United States Military that performs special operations. Basically they have three battalions of tough men and woman that jump out of airplanes and know a shit ton about guns. I thought it was the coolest thing that both of our brothers surpassed the intense training and earned the status of an Army Ranger.
My memories of Josh include his basic training picture that was on top of the Keller’s TV console. He looked like he went through hell and back so it always freaked me out a little bit having him look over us while we were watching The Walking Dead on Sundays!
Not only that but I remember the few times he came home on leave and we would greet him at the airport. Josh would pick me up and spin me around with a great big hug. I hardly knew him at that time but he literally welcomed me into the family with open arms. Since then he’s always been a brother.
For a little while it was just Zach, Jake and I. We would all hangout and play rock band or go to chipotle (or chipotel as Matt would say 😜). Often times I would wonder what life was like for Jake before Josh left. Was it always ‘Zach & Josh’ and then Jake? Well, I didn’t need to wonder any longer because eventually Zach enlisted into the army to serve our country.
Life without the twins at home seemed nice for Jake. We got to go out for dinner all the time with his parents (T-Bones) and played boggle ( a Keller fav). Jake also got to move downstairs to the big bedroom with the TV where we enjoyed binge watching many netflix series. We would write to Zach and I remember feeling that sense in my stomach again when someone you care about is in a dangerous line of duty. It wasn’t long before Zach started to prove himself as an Army Ranger.
Then came a road trip! It was my first road trip that I took with the Kellers. It was to watch Zach graduate basic. The trip to Georgia takes a solid day but it’s the least you can do for someone whose graduating from something so serious. I had done this before to see my own brother graduate but driving with the Kellers was a whole new experience and I loved it. The feeling of love and family is so present, ALWAYS, when your with the Kellers. We all stayed in a log cabin and it was the first time I really got to bond with the WHOLE fam. We all had such a great time and Zach & Josh once again had me feeling like a proud sister.
Now, I always think everything happens for a reason. It was VERY unique how Zach went into the military a year after Josh but still ended up in the same state, same battalion, and SAME platoon. The military is usually very difficult so it was truly a miracle that they ended up together. They both got stationed out in Tacoma, Washington which is where Zach started dating Hannah!!
During this time I was preparing myself to enlist in the the United States Navy just like my oldest brother, Chris, who had enlisted in 2014. Jake and I would go to the gym regularly... Ohh, we looked fantastic then haha. My leave date was July 1st, 2015 and I was going to be a logistics specialist. The thought of leaving Jake made me very sad but I knew just like all my brothers that the military would offer me everything I was looking for; a sense of pride to serve our country, an excuse to stay fit and financial help with college.
Well, my mother was very sick and ended up passing away on January 13th, 2015 which is actually Zach and Josh’s birthday . I was 17 years old and was almost finished my senior year in high school. We’ve all lost something whether it be a parent, a sibling, a friend, or even parts of your own body. I believe with death there is always a rebirth. I was lost for a while though... just auto-piloted my way through my senior year while I still had my plans to serve our country. I felt like I had nothing else really.
It wasn’t until I saw how sad everyone was that I was leaving that I kinda woke up and realized that the military didn’t need me and I didn’t need the military. I ended up canceling my enlisted date to stay with my family and Jake who needed me the most. My sister, Jessica, at the time was a new mom to my nephew, Jordan, and I couldn’t imagine how she felt to bury our mother while facing motherhood herself.
Life settled for a little while after I graduated. We got the news that Zach and Hannah got engaged and it wasn’t long before we hopped on a plane to Washington for their wedding! We stayed in a log cabin that was very similar to the ones we stayed in when we went to Georgia. The family was growing and everyone was happy!
Growing is right and just like I said earlier - with death there is a rebirth. Jake and I ended up getting pregnant with our beautiful little girl, Evelyn. I was about to face motherhood just like my sister and I didn’t have my mom to be there. I did, however, have Maria. She was there for me no matter what I needed. That woman is truly an angel.
We were due with her in the month of April 2016. Once again, life worked in mysterious ways and it just so happened that Josh, Zach and Zach’s new wife, Hannah, were home on leave when I gave birth and they got to be there for us.
Birthing my child into the Keller family started a whole new life for me. I began to let go of all the negativity that haunted me with my mom. Evelyn became this beam of light in my life where I started to find myself. I also started my current job working at Gate City Fence which has also allowed me to sculpt myself and find my new direction.
We ended up turning that big basement into two bedrooms where Jake and I stayed for the first 6 months of Evelyn’s life. Matt and Maria were very generous to let us move in with my two cats and my stubborn attitude. 🙌🏼 Jake was also allowed to use the left side of their property to create his garden which is now where Josh and Kassidys master bathroom is.
We eventually bought our own home in Manchester leaving those two bedrooms in the basement ready for Josh and Zach for when they get out of the military.
As mentioned earlier about Rangers showing prowess with guns, a few months after we moved into our home I remember Josh visiting us! It was his 2 week leave during Christmas. He was sitting on our couch and I remember him handing his personal firearm and putting it on my window sill. I don’t have much experience with guns so I was a little anxious but I trusted Josh, the Ranger, with his own gun.
On February 11th I was sitting on the exact spot on the couch where Josh was sitting when I heard Jakes phone ring. Jake was in Evelyn’s room getting her ready for bed when I heard him answer. His voice changed and I immediately ran into the room. He asked me to grab Ev and finish getting her ready while he stepped out. I could hear him frantically talking in the background as I was trying to smile and be okay with my little girl. Eventually Jake gives the phone to me and it’s Matt, “ Josh got shot”. I was so confused. He wasn’t deployed. What do you mean shot?!
A trained Army Ranger, Josh’s own friend, accidentally shot him. You know the story. It was then I realized that anything can and WILL happen. To be careful with something isn’t over doing it.. being careful is the only option. But once again I realized that Zach being placed with his brother was no ironic thing. It was meant to happen so he could save his brothers life.
Although Josh was alive, the entire dynamic of his life was crushed. He was no longer getting out of the military in a month to become a mechanic and to start his ideal life with his long distance girlfriend Kassidy.
I personally had my own thoughts of when Josh got out of the military. I looked forward to the double dates we’d go on with them. I pictured us bowling or doing crazy shit like rock climbing. All of our thoughts of what life was going to be like with Josh out of the Army were gone.
After that phone call with Matt we flew out to Washington. The Keller’s energy all shifted into some sort of limbo of hopefulness but devastation. Seeing Josh hooked up to all the machines is a moment that I will never forget. In my heart though, I always knew that everything was going to be okay. I just knew.
Josh had his up and downs in the hospital. He grew stable enough where they could transfer him to a VA in Massachusetts, much closer to home. We would visit him as much as we could and thankfully they had this beautiful non-profit called the Fisher house (free lodging for family) where we could hangout and it didn’t seem so... hospital like. A new life emerged where everyone’s strength was put to the test. But just like before, the Keller family began radiating love, positivity, and hopefulness. Often times they said that Evelyn was a light in all this mess.
Zach & Hannah finally came home for good and they stayed in the basement where Jake and I used to stay. Our holidays were celebrated for a little while in a dingy hospital. With the effort of Kassidy & Maria though, you didn’t even realize where you were. You just knew that you were celebrating with family. ❤️
A few weeks went by where the community continued to drench the Kellers with support. There was a spaghetti dinner (that my Dad and maybe my brother Chris helped out with), corn hole tournament and even a VERY large motorcycle ride (we got to ride in a hospital bus with Josh and it was awesome). Attending these events filled my heart with love because it was incredible to watch all this support that Josh received
Northpoint Construction stepped up and began building a house that would be accessible for Josh so he could actually come home and not be in a hospital. Matt and Maria agreed to have this built on their property. Donations from the community made this possible! My own work even gave them a crazy deal on the beautiful vinyl fence that I actually helped install!
Gary & Mimi from Northpoint became close friends with the Keller family throughout this whole process. They invited us to multiple events where we were all able to let go of the stress in our lives and just enjoy ourselves.
Josh and Kassidy got to move into their new home and get adjusted to their new life. I guess thats what we all do though when something happens to us, we adjust. A rebirth of a new life. But what’s important is to adjust to that new life as best as you can because life goes on no matter what. You have to make the best with what you get!
Kassidy is now one of my best friends and Josh is still one of the most thoughtful and funniest people to be around. They have the best get-togethers filled with music and laughter. Maria likes to get together at least once a week for dinner and the family is as close as it would’ve ever been.
This life would be so different if anything changed. Just like if my mom never passed away life would be so different for me. Everything happens for a reason: Josh going into the Army, Jake and I dating, Zach and Hannah getting married, Josh and Kassidy finding their soul mates in each other and everything in between. It may be hard to see it now but whatever your going through is for a bigger picture.
Although something so devastating happened to the Kellers, the optimistic mind set remained the same. We all like to enjoy time together as much as we can and just appreciate one another. Love can conquer mountains and so can the correct outlook. ❤️
Comments
Post a Comment