Tommie (the other guy in the picture), Scott and I were roommates my second class year. Scott was always an amazing guy, patient enough to help me with my homework when I was struggling, and stern enough to kick me in my ass when I wasn't working out enough. After second class year, Tommie left the Naval Academy. Everyone suspected Tommie was gay, but he never admitted it to himself until after 2/C year (and a witch hunt-like investigation).
Once Tommie admitted it to himself, he decided that he had to live openly. This led to some of his darkest days - his church (he was a Baptist Reverend) kicked him out, his parents disowned him, and he was facing repaying $70-some thousand back to USNA. Scott, stepped in as Scott often did and picked him up off the ground. Scott and his family essentially adopted him and gave him the support he needed.
Scott was tragically killed shortly after midnight on Jul 28th, 2000. It's a day I'll never forget - because as he was being killed, I was returning from a night of celebrating my birthday (July 27th) in Pensacola. I had been passed out from the night of drinking for only a few hours when another one of my classmates called and told me the horrible news. I wasn't able to attend the funeral, because I was in flight school and he wasn't a family member. I told myself that I'd make it back to visit his grave. Tommie was asked to speak at his funeral, and he and our class president traveled to Whidbey to place a memorial stone at the side of the road where he was killed. I saw Tommie one more time in 2000 (he was at a wedding in Mobile, he came to Pensacola for a night and we spent the evening reminiscing at Trader Jon's), and we lost touch after that.
8 years later, and I still hadn't been to his grave. It was our 10 year reunion at the Academy, and one of the reunion coordinators asked me if I'd like to light a candle for Scott at the memorial service. I'm a pretty emotional guy to begin with, but thought I could handle this simple task. Not so much it turns out. I was choking back tears the entire time, and shortly after I lit the candle, MGen Bolden (our guest of honor) started naming our classmates names and he started with Scott. Just as I was about to lose it, I heard Scott's voice clear as a bell. He said "Don't worry, I'm here and I'm having a great time. Find Tommie and tell him I said hello." I immediately felt fine. I'm not a particularly spiritual guy, so I struggled with this for the rest of the day. Come Monday morning, I knew what I had to do. I spent Monday and Tuesday searching the Internet, and was able to find some contact info for Tommie.
Tommie flew in on Dec 30th, and we had already decided we had to go see Scott. We also joked that all the wind on New Year's Eve was my fault, because it was Scott kicking me in the ass for not coming earlier. I'm glad that I went when I did, and with who I went with. It felt better.
I used to be bothered by Scott's untimely passing, but I now know that he was such an amazing person who had touched so many lives, that his time on earth was complete. Scott always wanted to climb Everest, and was planning an expedition. Before I die, I want to travel to Everest base camp, look up at the mountain that I know he's looking down upon, take a picture and give it to him back in Arlington.
