Rand was a Wright-Patterson physicist and was the father of a Beavercreek soldier seriously wounded in Iraq. His son, Ethan was an Army specialist, was shot in the head while standing on a balcony. He had spent much of his last year helping his son recover from the severe head injury. Rand himself had survived Vietnam only to see his two sons go off to serve in the war in Iraq. The horrors he'd seen as a C-130 pilot in combat were nothing compared with what his boys had seen. On March 5 2006 his son Ethan was shot through the head in Iraq. The Army flew Ethan to Germany, where his twin brother, Matthew, joined him. On the plane ride back to the United States, Matthew sat at Ethan's side, holding his brother's hand. The family began a vigil that included various members to be with Ethan at all times. Rand was due to be a grandfather and he got to meet Ethan's newborn son in Veterans Hospital. The proud grandpa held the tiny boy up to his chest and nuzzled him. It was a bright spot during a hellish year. Then, Rand went home to Beavercreek. Ethan was finally doing well. His other son Matthew was finally coming home from his stint in the service. The family had decided to start rotating weeks where one member could go home, while at least two members stayed at Ethan's bedside. Rand had the first week home. He never got to finish it. He was killed in an auto accident at age 59. His son Ethan died a few months later.
Rand was a Wright-Patterson physicist and was the father of a Beavercreek soldier seriously wounded in Iraq. His son, Ethan was an Army specialist, was shot in the head while standing on a balcony. He had spent much of his last year helping his son recover from the severe head injury. Rand himself had survived Vietnam only to see his two sons go off to serve in the war in Iraq. The horrors he'd seen as a C-130 pilot in combat were nothing compared with what his boys had seen. On March 5 2006 his son Ethan was shot through the head in Iraq. The Army flew Ethan to Germany, where his twin brother, Matthew, joined him. On the plane ride back to the United States, Matthew sat at Ethan's side, holding his brother's hand. The family began a vigil that included various members to be with Ethan at all times. Rand was due to be a grandfather and he got to meet Ethan's newborn son in Veterans Hospital. The proud grandpa held the tiny boy up to his chest and nuzzled him. It was a bright spot during a hellish year. Then, Rand went home to Beavercreek. Ethan was finally doing well. His other son Matthew was finally coming home from his stint in the service. The family had decided to start rotating weeks where one member could go home, while at least two members stayed at Ethan's bedside. Rand had the first week home. He never got to finish it. He was killed in an auto accident at age 59. His son Ethan died a few months later.
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