Three men, one Marine Dream Team -- this United States Marine Corps article for Leatherneck Magazine is one that I am most honored to have written

I don’t know if most people are aware of how much time and work goes into producing an article. The process is long and, depending on your topic and the people you are working with, interviews can be challenging and scheduling photos can be hard.

But, as you write an article, and as you really get to the crux of the story, you really get to know the people about whom you write. Sometimes, when I write locally, I meet an individual who has such a unique story that I want to share it with more than just our community, as was the case with this man: Nicholas Montijo.

From the moment I met him, I knew there was something special about him. His modest nature, however, belied his accomplishments.

I was intimidated at first. I will be honest: before I met Nick, I hadn’t knowingly interviewed a veteran – or at least asking that question wasn’t on my radar. I didn’t spend a lot of time around veterans, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Knowing that he wrestled with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, I posed delicately phrased questions. That was a few articles and a couple of years ago.

With each article, I have learned just a little more about his story ~ and it makes me ever that much more proud of this Leatherneck Magazine article. This is his story – and the story of two of his Marine brothers. It is what makes him a hero ~ to me, to my family, to other veterans and to all those who really take the time to know him.

I am so impressed with Nick. When I first interviewed him, he was on the cusp of a passion that he wanted to share with others. Now he is at the top of his game, and he is bringing up others right alongside him.

It is his kindness and his gentleness that I respect the most. He has been a role model to my children and to me. To see him receive unexpected recognition for his accomplishments makes my heart happy. And that he trusted me to tell a deeper part of his story, I will forever be grateful. I feel incredibly blessed to have been given the opportunity to know him and watch him work with so many other veterans – to encourage them and to give them hope.

Through Nick, I met Fred, who has incredible courage and an uncompromising willingness to take a risk in order to change the lives of others. He never gives up. He is always there for others. He is a Marine, through and through.  

He didn't come to BraveHearts as a cowboy, but he is a quick-learner, astute and someone who knows that he will succeed – no matter what. Being a photographer, Fred gives me a hard time about Marines not smiling. I know better. He has a smile that pushes others to keep on keeping on. His smile says, “I know you think you can’t, but you can.” It’s hard to catch it on camera, but he wears his heart on his sleeve and when he smiles, the world smiles with him.

Nick said that Fred always is willing to sit down and talk to a veteran. I’ve seen that in his work with veterans, but also at Woodstock Harley-Davidson where he met a friend of mine – without me! The two talked and connected as Marines.

He is a hero. Not only is he a veteran who served our great nation, but he also served in law enforcement and he has saved lives on the job. He continues to save lives now through his ability to relate to veterans and reach out to other Marines.

And then there is Marshall. He has shown up on horseback and on a motorcycle and in plain clothes. He could show up in almost anything, and I might not recognize him. My fondest story of him is at a Harley-Davidson event where he came right up next to me and started chatting. I was sure I had never seen this leather-clad, Harley-riding man before, and I told him he must be mistaking me for someone else. He insisted that he had spoken to me the day before. I told him that he most certainly had not, and I tried to slowly walk away. He removed his sunglasses and his bandana, and, sure enough, I HAD spoken with him at a Special Olympics event the day before ~ but he was wearing a cowboy hat and boots. He is a man of many hats, and he is ready and willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. He is kind and friendly and works hard to extend a helping hand to those in need.

These three men have made such a huge difference in the world. I have no doubt that they change the world everywhere and anywhere they are – whether it is on horseback, amongst friends or just walking down the street. I am grateful to them for the sacrifices they have made for our country. I stand in awe of the courage it took for them to try something new and to thrive. And I will be forever thankful that they allowed me to have a small glimpse into their lives, because their lives are inspirational. Their lives are powerful. Their lives have a purpose.

You can read their Leatherneck Magazine feature article here:

To view this larger version of this pdf, please click here

A United States Marine Dream Team!

Marshall is getting ready to become an instructor very soon.

Fred likes to go by "Cowboy" both on a bike and at the barn.

"Cowboy" fits his personality and his talents.

Nick, Marshall and Fred are at home riding together.

This was one of my favorite pictures -- I love the dust coming up from Huff's hooves.

Nick has been riding the longest ~ and, despite his humble nature, he has made national headlines as the first Wounded Warrior to begin as a participant of the PATH International Therapeutic Riding program and to then become a therapeutic riding instructor.

BraveHearts provides a respite for veterans.

Paddy McKevitt, Nicholas Montijo and Meggan Hill-McQueeney.

Sometimes Doors Close, and Sometimes That Is OK

Sometimes we are surprised to find the beauty
 in what might seem like a failure.

Sometimes doors close, and sometimes that is OK.

I’ve had some friends recently who have become frustrated with doors that have closed ~ talented friends ~ friends who inspire me. I understand you, friends! It is frustrating to be on the other side of that door as you stand by and watch it close, but there is so much more waiting in the periphery if you don’t give up and never give in! Sometimes your greatest achievements come after what you initially perceive as a failure.

I taught high school English for several years before I stayed at home to raise my children. Gosh, that first year in teaching was hard, but as I look back on all of the many courses I taught and all of the students I had, my heart is full. It was a great job.

I still get excited when I read about the successes my students have had. I like seeing them at restaurants with their children. I enjoy getting a “friend request” on Facebook from a student of long ago. I love seeing them make a difference in the lives of others.

I won’t lie, it was hard to leave the career I had set out to have, but, ultimately, I fell into the career that I’d always wanted ~ with a small tweak.

I’d always loved writing, but I had my dreams set on a novel. However, being grounded in reality, I knew being a writer likely would not pay my rent or grocery bill. I earned my degree in secondary English education with a minor in media studies (with a focus on journalism).  I had no idea that, years later, I would be so thankful for the journalism minor!

A year after having my first child, I was missing the excitement of the high school environment, but I was not yet ready to go back to teaching full time. I saw an ad for stringers at the local paper and thought that would be perfect ~ I had taught the journalism class at the high school and had an AP background. The rest, as they say, is history.

After hundreds of stories written, I still feel the thrill of interviewing each person and listening to his or her stories. I love researching to find a magazine or publication that would be the perfect fit to feature someone's story. I’ve discovered that one of my greatest joys is to write stories that let people see themselves and their accomplishments as others see them. I love to capture the unassuming inspiration and the achievements of everyday people who are everyday heroes.

As I look back at the ten-year anniversary of my last year of teaching, I am reminded that doors are just as easily opened as they are closed. Even now, when a relationship with an organization or a group of people ends because their story has been written, I feel a strange longing to keep that door open. The people I write about or photograph weave their way into my heart and I never forget them. As a human-interest writer, I get to learn a lot about my subjects. Sometimes, because of the nature of my writing, the content is sensitive. I believe strongly that my job is to tell the truth, but to be respectful and treat each person with dignity ~ both in words and in the photographs I choose to publish.

I have been blessed over the years to have met so many incredible people ~ and so often, I get to write about them just as their world begins to open up in ways they had never imagined. I never forget the people who have put their stories in my hands. But, as doors gradually and quietly close, new ones slowly crack open. And it is within those slivers of light that the journey lies.

I have learned always to look forward to new journeys ~ you never know who you might meet, where you might end up, or what you might find.

Photographing the Red, White and Blue in the rolling hills outside of Galena, Illinois.

This barn was such a beautiful color!

This mare just stared right into my camera while we were on vacation ~ she was begging to become a celebrity! 

The Sound of Freedom, Round Two

The United States Navy F-18 Super Hornet taking off

Another year, another Oshkosh EAA AirVenture. This week marks my husband’s 22^nd year and my 15^th year.

Canadian Snowbirds

I have a fear of flight, but I love my husband.  He loves the sound of jets, the vintage biplanes, the Warbirds, the Mustangs, the aerobatic pilots, etc. I think doing stunts in an airplane is a really bad idea. It sends me into a panic every time. But he and my daughters love it.

Patriot Parachute Demo Team

In an effort to get through these annual summer vacations (if one calls tent-camping a vacation), I’ve always put the focus on the great opportunity my children have to spend a long time (24 hours a day, seven days that week) with their grandfather, uncles and cousins. This year, I took the time to take my friend Brenda’s words to heart: That is the sound of freedom.

Last year (you can read about it here), in an attempt to be brave, I tried to watch an air show, but I was too scared and had to leave. In a panic, I messaged my U.S. Air Force veteran friend who said, “Don’t be scared. That is the sound of freedom!”

So, last year, I probably used that as a way to get through the scariness of aerobatics and Air Force  and Navy jet flybys.

This year, however, I thought about everything that is going on in our world, and I embraced the sound of freedom – for the first time, perhaps.

I spoke with the F-16 Demo Team flight crew. I talked with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection crew. I went to the flight line. I stood with a sleeping child while I photographed the F-18 Super Hornet, and I watched in amazement as the jet flew in and out of focus – it is stealthy, as it should be. As the sound shook my body, the plane managed ridiculous aerobatics and incredible maneuvers. For some reason, I thought of Brenda’s words, and I finally got it. That ear-piercing sound, the one that shakes the very ground on which I stand, is what allows me to live here, in the United States. This year, I stood in awe of those who protect our country.

I stayed four days this year (in a tent). I ran into an old high school classmate and his wife and children. I woke up feeling refreshed in the morning thanks to a little outdoor air and my brother-in-law’s coffee every morning – thanks, Dave. I finally understood the Warbirds, thanks to all of the military writing and research I have been doing. I held a black box from a 90s-era passenger liner crash. And, dare I say it, after 15 years, I think I finally enjoyed EAA AirVenture for what it was intended to be.

I have a crazy amount of photos and I think I will do a few posts on some of the performances and demonstrations we saw. I was horse crazy last month; hold on, because I am plane crazy this month! 

Armed Forces flag display on Aeroshell Square

Aeroshell Aerobatic Team

The Old Crow

 Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40, the "Rawhides," crew member above the C-2, watching the Canadian Snowbirds.

Geiko Skytypers

Snowbirds

World's Busiest Airport for this week!

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Demo team

Team Aerostar

Yep, I made it for four days, in a tent:)