My Stampede story by Karen Goodman
So Mark told me that Norm wanted us to write our own Stampede story. Hopefully by
now Mark has written and submitted his though I have no idea what he said on it.
Honestly I knew very little about this whole trip and the people involved before we left. Things unfolded to me when we were on the journey. Please understand I am a control freak about long trips so I was not at ease with this.
I was reluctant to go at first. My job is demanding and I am the only one that does my particular job so I am apprehensive about taking more then a day here or there off. Plus since I obviously don't know much about the club and didn't know about the Stampede this is Mark's thing and not how I wanted to spend my vacation time. I was promised that our dear sweet friend Brian Campbell would be able to join the trip and I did not want to pass up the chance to see him since we don't get to very often.
Then when I started to learn more of the Wounded Warrior Project and what they do I began to think of how fortunate my family is that my two brothers made their 26 and 20 year carriers respectively with out so much as a scratch on them from combat. About a week before we left we met Tom. A Warrior from Racine WI that had a TBI so bad that he would not even remember meeting me 20 minutes after I was no longer in front of him. Crowds scared him and of course when we put him on our friend's radio show the audience was packed. It was not so much Tom but his sweet wife that struck me and made me realize I was being petty about not wanting to take an opportunity being presented to me. She selflessly does everything for him. Something I am not sure given her circumstances I would be able to do with as much kindness and grace.
Things hit home for me when we reached the flight 93 memorial. I was given a heads up from someone that already been there what it would look like so I was emotionally prepared I thought. Watching Richard silently come next to me and with as much patriotism as an American place his Canadian flag on the fence slammed me in the stomach like a freight train. I'm a very sensitive person and a hugger. I felt I needed to bring some type of comfort to everyone near me in our group. I gave Richard a hug, then Rod, then Brian, then I tearfully said thank you to Louise and hugged her. Confessed my fears of my husband going to work everyday. My final hug was to Norm who bust out laughing when I did so. Made me happy to know I made this tough exterior of a man smile because I gave him a hug. At that point I realized what this all means to Mark and what a family this group was though most of us didn't know each others names.
The final thing that nailed all of this for me was meeting Aaron and Jim. While I didn't get to talk to Jim much he did show me his funny softer side. Teasing me for coming from WI (Go Bucky) and telling me of how Aaron is his best friend yet they never knew each other until after all this happened. I did talk with Aaron a little longer and while I will not share with you our conversation (it's private and special to me) I will share with you that I realize I have nothing to complain about and that I need to show pride in what was done by Norm and Louise and the full Pinto family.
Sunday leaving was hard. I didn't want to say goodbye (and didn't get to for a couple of you) but was ready to go home. In five years or ten I hope to see you all again in Carlisle this time with a large amount of donations as I plan to spend time doing fund raisers for the Wounded Warriors and doing what I can to show my gratitude. I do regret not giving more of myself to help the cause while we were there. Thank you all and Scott don't ever forget what you do isn't just a job.
Mount Up Stampeders!
Karen Goodman
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Honestly I knew very little about this whole trip and the people involved before we left. Things unfolded to me when we were on the journey. Please understand I am a control freak about long trips so I was not at ease with this.
I was reluctant to go at first. My job is demanding and I am the only one that does my particular job so I am apprehensive about taking more then a day here or there off. Plus since I obviously don't know much about the club and didn't know about the Stampede this is Mark's thing and not how I wanted to spend my vacation time. I was promised that our dear sweet friend Brian Campbell would be able to join the trip and I did not want to pass up the chance to see him since we don't get to very often.
Then when I started to learn more of the Wounded Warrior Project and what they do I began to think of how fortunate my family is that my two brothers made their 26 and 20 year carriers respectively with out so much as a scratch on them from combat. About a week before we left we met Tom. A Warrior from Racine WI that had a TBI so bad that he would not even remember meeting me 20 minutes after I was no longer in front of him. Crowds scared him and of course when we put him on our friend's radio show the audience was packed. It was not so much Tom but his sweet wife that struck me and made me realize I was being petty about not wanting to take an opportunity being presented to me. She selflessly does everything for him. Something I am not sure given her circumstances I would be able to do with as much kindness and grace.
Things hit home for me when we reached the flight 93 memorial. I was given a heads up from someone that already been there what it would look like so I was emotionally prepared I thought. Watching Richard silently come next to me and with as much patriotism as an American place his Canadian flag on the fence slammed me in the stomach like a freight train. I'm a very sensitive person and a hugger. I felt I needed to bring some type of comfort to everyone near me in our group. I gave Richard a hug, then Rod, then Brian, then I tearfully said thank you to Louise and hugged her. Confessed my fears of my husband going to work everyday. My final hug was to Norm who bust out laughing when I did so. Made me happy to know I made this tough exterior of a man smile because I gave him a hug. At that point I realized what this all means to Mark and what a family this group was though most of us didn't know each others names.
The final thing that nailed all of this for me was meeting Aaron and Jim. While I didn't get to talk to Jim much he did show me his funny softer side. Teasing me for coming from WI (Go Bucky) and telling me of how Aaron is his best friend yet they never knew each other until after all this happened. I did talk with Aaron a little longer and while I will not share with you our conversation (it's private and special to me) I will share with you that I realize I have nothing to complain about and that I need to show pride in what was done by Norm and Louise and the full Pinto family.
Sunday leaving was hard. I didn't want to say goodbye (and didn't get to for a couple of you) but was ready to go home. In five years or ten I hope to see you all again in Carlisle this time with a large amount of donations as I plan to spend time doing fund raisers for the Wounded Warriors and doing what I can to show my gratitude. I do regret not giving more of myself to help the cause while we were there. Thank you all and Scott don't ever forget what you do isn't just a job.
Mount Up Stampeders!
Karen Goodman
