Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 2C
THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2009
Family reunion continued from page 1 c
know who would be calling at
that hour. Mark said hello to
me and then told me to hold
on a second. The next voice
I heard was Devin's, and it
was the best feeling ever to
hear him, to know that he
and Mark were able to meet
up and visit. I was ecstatic
for them. To me, it was the
best post-Mother's Day gift
ever, for Mark the best early-
Father's Day gift ever. It was
incredibly surreal.”
TWO HOURS
TOGETHER
In all, the Hamrick men
had two hours together before
parting ways, and were great
ly appreciative of the time,
as they knew it wasn't guar
anteed and was a special cir
cumstance granted by their
commanding officers, Mrs.
Hamrick said.
From Devin’s perspec
tive: ‘‘When I saw my dad
in Kabul, Afghanistan, I
couldn’t believe he was really
there. I know I had to have
a smile from ear to ear. It
was heartwarming to know
my best friend, my dad, my
idol was standing there wait
ing on me!
‘‘Honestly, during lunch, I
didn't even know what to say
or ask because I was still so
shocked. I loved being with
him, yet the hardest part was
hugging him, knowing he
was going his way and I was
going mine and never know
ing when or if we would see
each other again. It was one
of the best days of my life,
though, and I will never for
get it.”
And from a message sent
to Mrs. Hamrick from her
husband about the meeting: ‘‘I
was in kind of a dream state,
as I didn’t think it would actu
ally happen,” Mr. Hamrick
said. ‘‘I just knew something
would come up or get in
the way of us getting to see
one another. You know how
‘Hamrick Law' works for us!
I wanted to continue to hug
him and couldn’t tell him how
much I loved him enough!
The time we had seemed to
fly by, and I just wanted to
make it the best we could
given the circumstances - in
case we didn’t see one anoth
er again. Before leaving, I
gave him a para-cord bracelet
that I had made so he would
have that with him at all times
- kind of like having me there
with him.
‘‘I was very grateful to
the Staff Sgt and the Lt. for
allowing Devin the time off
that day to spend with me. It
was amazing to me to think
that a father and son were
able to meet up in a coun
try that’s the size of Texas
halfway around the world!
Not too many people get that
chance to experience that and
in such conditions.”
‘‘For my husband, this was
a time for him to see his son
before he started his actual
duties there,” Mrs. Hamrick
said. ‘‘What he saw was not
the little boy that he's used to,
but instead a young man there
to serve his country. For my
son, it was a chance to see his
hero again, someone that he
had missed terribly.”
And while technology
allowed the father and son
to connect in Afghanistan, it
also allows Mrs. Hamrick to
remain in touch and to actu
ally talk with and see them
via computer.
‘‘Today, though we have
our men and women out their
still fighting and serving their
country, we are blessed with
the technological advances
that grant us the opportunity
to correspond on a regular
basis - be it mails by letter,
emails, social networks like
Facebook that offer instant
messaging, or webcam chats
on sites like Skype (where
you can see and talk with
someone),” she said. “Mark
and I have set timeframes that
we chat every day. I know to
be online on Facebook around
9 p.m., as he’ll be getting up
sometime around then to talk
to me (that's his 5:30 a.m.)
before starting his day. And
now that Devin is there, he
is up around the same times,
so I am able to chat with him
a bit when he’s not hurrying
off to work. Technology has
opened up the world to us in
more ways than just search
ing for sports scores or seeing
who played a certain role in a
movie 30 years ago. For me,
it’s made having both of my
boys over there a lot easier
to bear.”
For the Hamrick men, tech
nology enables them to stay
in touch in Afghanistan.
“With him in-country and
at his base, I try to talk to him
daily, either by in-country cell
phone or via Facebook,” Mr.
Hamrick said in a message
to his wife. “I try to find
out when he’s going out on
Low cost spay/neuter services offered
LEFTOVER PETS d/b/a/ The Pet
Mechanics will be offering low cost spay
and neuter surgeries in Jackson County on
June 29 and 30 and July 13, 14, 27 and 28.
Clients are accepted by appointment only;
call 800-978-5226 to schedule an appoint
ment.
Surgery patients can be as young as eight
weeks. All dogs and cats that are at least
three months of age at the time of surgery
will receive a free rabies vaccine. New prices
are as follows: female dog over 25 pounds,
$75; female dog 25 pounds or less, $60; male
dog, $50; female cat. $50; and male cat, $30.
There is no extra charge if a female is in heat
or pregnant.
Financial assistance programs are avail
able for clients on a fixed income. For more
information about the nonprofit organization,
visit the website at www.leftoverpets.org.
SUSHI JEN
Lunch
11:30-3:00
"All You Can Eat" Sushi & Roll Buffet
Dinner
3:00- 10:00
Sushi & Roll • Fried Rice • Teriyaki & More
Sunday
12:00 - 3:00 (Buffet Only)
I-85
Wal-Mart
Hwy. 441
•
'Exit 149 • / •
Tanger
Days Inn/NGB Bank
Outlet
/
706-336-8789
Located across from Wal-Mart
152 Dallas Dr.
Commerce, GA 30529
TWO-HOUR VISIT
Devin and Mark Hamrick, a son and father from Jefferson, were briefly reunited in
Afghanistan in May, sharing a two-hour visit before going in different directions.
a mission, and he’ll find a know I was okay. It was great just thankful I was able to see
way to call when he returns to see him - I’m proud of him over here, since I missed
from them - like you and I him for taking on this role so seeing him at his send off
did when I was heading out early in his life. It’s what he's ceremony. It was a remark
on SWAT callouts, to let you worked so hard to do. I’m able day!”
ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS
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| Leslie M. Pitts, DMD
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Pediatric Dentistry
706-335-7793
215 Mercer Place,
P. O. Box 1241
Commerce, GA 30529
Website: drlpitts.com
Email: drlpitts@drlpitts.com
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Welcomes Hope Cook PA-C to our practice.
Hope is a Summa cum laude graduate of the University
Of Georgia and Emory University Physician's Assistant Program.
Athens Dermatology Group
Karen Maffei, M.D.
CALL
TODAY TO
SCHEDULE
YOUR
APPOINTMENT
FOR ALL YOUR
SKIN CARE
NEEDS.
Our services include but are not limited to:
• Acne • Actinic Keratosis • Dermatitis • Flair Loss
• Herpes • Eczema • Keloid Scars • Melanoma
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1050 Thomas Avenue • Watkinsville, Georgia 30677
Visit us on the web at
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or call at 706-769-1550
Karen Maffei, M.D.
Hope Cook, PA-C