A Soldiers Welcome! - Will make ya tear up!

[Kevin]

A hero's welcome home for Jupiter's Army Spec. Kevin Hardin
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By SUSAN SPENCER-WENDEL

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer



Sunday, August 03, 2008

The idea began so simply, hatched in the heart of an injured soldier's mother.

A homecoming.

Terry Hardin's son, 22-year-old Army Spec. Kevin Hardin, would be back Saturday night - his first time home since a missile blew past him Sept. 30 and lodged him at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, where he still is being treated 10 months later.

Terry Hardin called and e-mailed some people, who called and e-mailed more people, tapping into Forgotten Soldiers Outreach and the Patriot Guard, a biker group that more often escorts hearses, plus the American Legion and its 11th District commander, David Knapp, who snapped to attention and zapped the word around himself.

And that's why, about 10 p.m. Saturday, the Concourse C entrance at Palm Beach International Airport brimmed with more than 200 people lining the passageways: children, adults, politicians, neighbors, the mechanic who worked on Kevin's antique car, some veterans in pressed uniforms and bikers in black leather. Many held U.S. flags.

Upstairs at the curbside drop-off, where deputies usually shoo away vehicles, dozens of Harley-Davidsons were parked, ready to escort the black stretch limo that would carry Hardin home to the small, sunny yellow house in Jupiter where he grew up, the second of Terry and Charles Hardin's four sons, the one who enlisted on the 60th anniversary of D-Day in 2004.

The one driving a Humvee Sept. 30 in Samarra, Iraq, when something similar to a rocket-propelled grenade - meant for a tank - hit the Humvee instead, blasting through it and past Hardin, shattering the bones in his arms and hands, leaving him without a thumb and forefinger and with shrapnel embedded in his brain.

His brother Kyle, 17, estimates that Kevin has had at least 25 surgeries, so many skin grafts his buddies call him "Patches" at the hospital. And a number still to go.

Yet today he is a soldier still willing to serve.

Early Saturday evening, the Hardins still were making the sunny yellow house all spic-and-span, everything right down to the tile grout cleaned. Terry Hardin was racing around, a cellphone in one hand, home phone in the other, three dogs barking at all the excitement. The phones must have rung 50 or 60 times that day, Kyle said, shaking his head.

They piled into the cars and got to the airport about 9 p.m. The crowd convened and Terry Hardin tried her darnedest to speak to and thank everyone and introduce everyone to each other. She was so grateful for their collective support.

"It's amazing," Kyle said, gazing around at the people.

Kevin's brother Keith, 15, said he was a little worried. For one, Kevin is a humble guy who doesn't like to be the center of attention, and two, he doesn't like crowds.

Airport officials escorted the Hardins to the gate to meet Kevin, sans crowd of course, but accompanied by U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton.

When the e-mails went out about Kevin's homecoming, people were asked not to shake his hands, as he still is in extreme pain. Knapp, the American Legion official, instructed people just to stay in place and let him pass by, not to reach out and grab him, and to keep passenger traffic moving.

As Kevin turned a corner and saw the crowd, his mother held his hand.

"Oh my gosh!" he said.

Then he turned around slightly, as if there were another way out.

Not a chance.

Knapp called the uniforms to salute and some others, in Bermuda shorts and flip-flops, followed suit. Then they broke into God Bless America.

As Kevin walked through, he hugged people and the grand plan just to let him sail by dissolved.


People grateful for his service, his sacrifice, surrounded him, told him so. They handed him gift bags and cards and balloons, even hot dogs. Women cried, a few men too, perhaps including one very misty-eyed mechanic.

Kevin, his caregiver, Lillian May, his brothers and friends climbed into the stretch black car donated by Park Limousine.

Terry Hardin climbed into her minivan to ride home with her husband.

The Harley engines echoed throughout the airport.

The sheriff's motorcycle deputies turned on their blue lights and led the motorcade out, headed for the sunny yellow spot in Jupiter.

And Kevin Hardin had a homecoming he deserved.

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Please welcome back our troops by showing some action of appreciation...

Buy them a beer, let them go in front of ya, ladies give them a hug and kiss!

[red192]

wow, misty eyed here!

[Lisa B]

very much deserved, and being from a military family, I think its wonderful people showed up to offer support, and thanks.
I had a homecoming for my son , when he finally made it back to our home town. i will do the same for my husband as well.
Its important to let the people serving, past and present, that while maybe you might not support the war, you SUPPORT the troops.

to all the veterans on our board,and the ones left serving silently at home, as I have said many times, THANK YOU for your service.

[papayamama]

What a touching show of appreciation to a soldier! This is why I am proud of my country.