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My
son Kyle Ka’eo Fernandez was born on the
evening of May,9th 1978 at Fairchild AFB,Spokane
Washington. Ka’eo (as he was called by the
family) was the second child and the first born
son of my husband (Renald) and I.
Ka’eo was
always a happy go lucky child,always wanting to
play, rather than do his homework. He had a tender,compassionate
heart. Always willing to do for others,always
putting himself last. Sometimes getting lost in
the shuffle (being the middle child),but never
complaining. He always did everything that was
asked of him with no questions asked. Always giving
into his younger brother and never grumbling about
it. They both ended up being best of friends as
well as loving brothers as they grew up. He had
a heart of gold!! He did have a temper,but it
took alot for him to get to that point. As he
grew up we moved around alot, but Ka’eo always
managed to make alot of friends, no matter where
we moved ,he had loads of friends. He would rather
be with his friends than study. But as he got
older he really buckled down and turned out to
be a very good student. It was when we moved back
to Hawaii,thats where Ka’eo found a sense
of "Home",he loved Hawaii,he loved the
bodysurfing,he loved the skateboarding,he loved
the sun,he loved the local food, he loved his
Hawaiian heritage and culture of his islands,he
loved the Hawaiian music,he loved speaking pidgeon,
he loved his family,he also loved his friends,he
just loved being Hawaiian. He once told me "Mom,I
never want to move again ,Hawaii is were I want
to live." He was content being a local "Hawaiian"
boy. While attending Pearl City High School he
met and dated Celeste Gouviea,they dated all through
high school. They finally married a few years
after they completed school, he tried his hand
at a few different jobs,from working at the carnivals,to
construction, to the car rental business. But
because he wanted more for himself,Celeste, and
now, little Kyla Cherie, (who entered into their
lives,and was the apple of her Daddy's eye,) he
decided to join the Army. We all tried talking
him out of going into the infantry, but that was
where he wanted to be,"On the front lines,
with all the action," he would say. While
stationed at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii (he never
left the islands) he and Celeste had a second
child,a boy,Keahi James. Who is the splitting
image of his father, everything he does is so
much like his father. Ka’eo had only a short
time with his son before he had to leave for Aghanistan.
Ka’eo and Celeste were very young,they were
truly happy with their little family,they were
on their way to a wonderful life,they had so many
plans.......just the four of them....Then came
9/11,then came the WAR. .......
Ka’eo cared
about his family,he worried about them because
he knew what he had to do. Before he left he put
away $3000.00 dollars in a little hidding place
in the storage closet of his garage (he didn’t
want Celeste to know) he was saving money for
a trip to Disneyland when he got back from Afghanistan,just
the four of them, when he left he told his brother
about the money ,just in case something happened.
.........then came that day, October,14th,2004,and
the rest is just too painful to mention. Memories
too awful to remember,but too important to forget.
When those two men in uniform came to our door
that morning everything changed,my world was shattered,the
family that had been my whole life for 29 years
was broken, never to be repaired. The loss,emptiness,pain
and sadness of losing a child is something I cannot
put into words,I think about him everyday,I cry
for him almost everynight,I dream of his smiling
face and laughter when I go to sleep.
My son Ka’eo
will forever be in my heart.
This is just a
tiny glimpse into Ka’eos life growing up,becoming
a man,a brave young man. He was a terrific person,wonderful
son,caring brother,loving grandson, loyal cousin,and
a true friend . While he was in Afghanistan he
never wanted us to worry about him,even keeping
things from me,so as not to worry me. I remember
one day, I found out that he was driving the humvee
while on convoys, he had volunteered for the job.
When I confronted him,he laughed and said:
"Mom,you
think I’m crazy.I wouldn’t do that."
But in my heart I knew he was driving. That's
the kind of person he was,always trying to spare
me from any worries.
He was always
there for his buddies in Charley Company,he is
greatly missed by these men who were like "Brothers"
to him in 2-5 Infantry. I know for a fact he has
a special place in their hearts.
He will always
be my hero! And he was a true hero. My son and
all the rest of these brave soldiers put their
worries and concerns on the side for a year (or
more) to go and defend their country and the people
of these United States (and some of them never
return.) These soldiers put there lives "On
Hold" for all of us,so that we can enjoy
our "Freedom." So that we can go on
living as we do, enjoying our everyday lives as
"Free Americans." These men and women
sacrifice everything for us,and for that, we must
give them a great big "Thank You!",
a standing ovation! That's the least we can do,
for what they do for us everyday!!!!!!!!!! These
soldiers are not
ordinary,these soldiers are exceptional!!!! They
take great "Pride" in what they do!!!!!
They have a bond that is so unbelievably close.
It takes a special kind of person to become a
"Soldier."
I love you my
son,my soldier,you are in my heart forever-
Love,Mom
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