A sad story...
By dolce_vita78
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
Philippines
April 13, 2008 10:48am CST
I would like to share to you a story that I got to listen to over the radio a few minutes ago. It is really very sad but inspiring..
This is a story about a soldier who was finally coming home after having fought long and hard in Iraq. He called his parents from San Francisco. "Mom and Dad, I am coming home, but I have a favor to ask. I would like to bring home a friend with me."
"Sure," they replied. "We'd love to meet him."
"There's something you should know," the son continued. "He was hurt pretty badly in the fighting. He stepped on a land mine and lost an arm and a let. He has nowhere else to go, and I want him to come live with us."
"We are sorry to hear that, son. Maybe we can help him find a place to live."
"No, Mom and Dad. I want him to live with us."
"Son," said the father, "you do not know what you are asking. Someone with such a handicap would be a terrible burden to us. We have our own lives to live, and we can't let something like this interfere with our lives. I think you should just come home and forget about this guy. He will find a way to live on his own."
The son hung up the phone, and the parents heard nothing more from him. A few days later, however, they received a call from the San Francisco Police Department. Their son died after falling from a building, they were told. The police believed it was suicide.
The grief-stricken parents flew to San Francisco and were taken to the city morgue to identify the body of their son. They recognized him, but to their horror they also discovered something they did not know -- their son had only one arm and one leg.
The parents learned that their son lost his other arm and other leg when he accidentally stepped on a land mine while in battle.
5 people like this
15 responses
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
14 Apr 08
hi dolce_vita! I have heard that story before but it still did not fail in making me feel so sad reading it once again here in your post. I guess, it shows sometimes of how many of us treat these people who are disabled as inconvenience in our lives. It is sad knowing that there is a possibility that if we were the ones who become disabled, we would also wonder how our families accept our fate. It is sad that his parents have have found out too late after knowing the fate of their son. I just hope that it does not happen again to all the soldiers who are risking their lives to defend their own nations and also to those regular people who have met and suffered the same fate each day. Just my thoughts my friend. Take care always and have a nice day! :)
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
14 Apr 08
Hi dolce_vita! That is a very beautiful passage in the Bible. If we can only have that genuine love and care for our fellowmen, maybe our world will be a much beautiful place to live in. Thank you for sharing that Bible passage to me. Just my thoughts dear friend! Take care and have a nice day! :)
1 person likes this
@heavens_gift17 (108)
• Philippines
14 Apr 08
This story has been circulating the net for quite sometime and whenever I came across it...just reminds me of how unconditional love should be given to all.
2 people like this
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
14 Apr 08
wow.....pretty sad, I felt like i was stubbed, felt the pain really! I wish its not true but I know there are stories like these and will make people become very careful/tactful to every decision or word that we are going to release, like these by just those simple explanation of parents, they have no idea that they are already hurting their own son who just don't like to tell them what really happen to him! wow! thanks for sharing. It's indeed an eye opener to every one to be responsible of our words/decisions!
2 people like this
@queenofarms (1659)
• United States
14 Apr 08
Hello Dolce_vita! This is a sad story. I don't think I could turn a way someone in need of help. It was horrible of his parents saying this to their son. I know they didn't know it was him. But to turn away someone needing help and had fought for your country is terrible. I hope this a wake up call for these people. To never put their needs before someone else.
2 people like this
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
• Philippines
14 Apr 08
We should really be more sensitive to the needs of other people...
1 person likes this
@Latina84 (25)
• Puerto Rico
13 Apr 08
This is a really sad thing to hear if I was the guy parents I would have said sure we'll make some space for him and make him feel at home. Well my brother is a soldier and went to Irak twice for a long term the last time he went he blew up in a hummer with 4 other soldiers and just 3 of them survive one of them was my brother but he lost a leg and they are trying to save his other leg cause his bones were all broken to the point his going into surgery again to get a artificial knee cap. I was worried for him thinking he wasn't going to be able to go through this but, he demonstrated us he's alot stronger then we thought. Emotionally he's doing great. And I am very proud of him!
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
• Philippines
14 Apr 08
I am sorry to hear about what happened to your brother. I hope that his next surgery will go well.
1 person likes this
@minnie_98214 (10557)
• United States
14 Apr 08
Wow that is rough. Not only did they lose there child but now they have to live with the grief of what they said. i dont see why he wouldnt have told them it was him. I mean I can understand why they would say hey we cant take care of someone in this condition but id have at least said but he could stay for a little and we will see what we could do.
2 people like this
@drknlvly6781 (6246)
• United States
13 Apr 08
This is sad, but it really makes you think. This man asked his parents about the "friend", because he wanted to know how his handicap would affect them. It really makes you think about how we treat people, and how selfish we can be sometimes. Of course the parents wouldn't have reacted the same way if he would have came straight out and told him what happened, because they love their son. But this goes to show that you should have this same love for all mankind, because who knows when this could happen to a relative of yours. If they would have shown the same compassion for the "friend" that they would have shown their son, he may still be alive today.
1 person likes this
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
• Philippines
14 Apr 08
You are right. We should extend any help we could give not just to our family but other people as well...
1 person likes this
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
13 Apr 08
I have heard that story previously but it never hurts to hear it any less. That is a very sad story. It gives you pause to think though about what is really in your heart.
2 people like this
@jeanniemay (1798)
• Philippines
13 Apr 08
OMG! That is such a sad story. I could feel how much pain the parents are in today.
Sigh. But at certain times, we really cannot deny the fact that what we judge to be right at first can be something we will regret in the end.
This is a nice share a learning to each one of us. It deeply touched me. Thank you for sharing.
Yes to LOVE no matter the circumstance! Cheers! 
2 people like this
@julyteen (13252)
• Davao, Philippines
14 Apr 08
it is a very sad story. the moral lesson we got from the story is that we always think of ourself, his parents is selfish. they don't want to have somebody would interfere their happiness. being patience and kinds is the most admired attitude nowadays. we must extend our hands to help others specially in their nad times. there is a saying: "Greater happiness in giving" which is related also to "it's better to give than to receive"
@paid2write (5201)
•
15 Apr 08
That made me want to cry too. I think the parents would have reacted differently if the son had told them he had been injured in this way. The, of course, they would have welcomed him home with open arms and done everything possible to give him a good life. The thing is, if his own parents had that reaction, he knew he could expect the same from other people. I think that is what killed him.
