Prayers for Seabee that lost wife.

[go-fish]

We have a troop that is in my battalion in Kuwait that seriously needs your prayers and thoughts right now. BU2 Porter has just lost about everything in his life. We were deployed to Southwest Asia (Kuwait, Horn of Africa, Bahrain...) on 2 Feb. BU2 left behind a wife in Gulfport who was 6 1/2 months pregnant. She was probably worried about something happening to him over here but didn't think the un-imaginable was ahead.
She was on her way home from work on a routine workday when she was struck by a drunk driver and critically wounded. The baby was lost and she died a few hours later. The drunk driver was killed also.
Within 2 hours or so of this all happening BU2 Porter got a flight out of Kuwait almost immediately. When he took off his wife was 50/50. Shortly after the flight took off she passed. He didn't learn of her death until after he landed in Mobile, AL.
Below is some of the message traffic from the battalion.

-----Original Message-----
From: Prather, Craig S USA CDR USN NMCB 74
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 9:35 AM
To: ; Waite, Benjamin C USA LT USN NMCB 74 ; Middleton, William C MNC-I C7 Facilities NCO;  Ills, Joshua USAF CPT NMCB74; Johnson, Cortny G; 'Tibbetts, Ryan M LCDR USCENTCOM CJTF-HOA'; Pugh, Troy S USA LCDR USN NMCB 40 ; 'Christensen, Mark J. LT USN GTMO'; ; 'Haney Orrick LT NMCB/14'; 'Knox, Christopher J, E7, AUTEC'; NMCB74 Officers; NMCB74 CPO
Subject: FW: RED CROSS MESSAGE 2222247 PORTER, JOSHUA (UNCLASSIFIED)

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

 Fearless 74 Leadership,

   If you haven't already heard, BU2 Porter's wife was in a tragic car accident yesterday.  Below AMCROSS provides details.  Just received word that she passed away due to her injuries.  Unfortunately, he is still in flight and won't get her final status until he lands in Mobile.
Our Homeport Liaison, Ombudsman, 22NCR Chaps and family will be there when he arrives.  Pls. inform our troops to keep BU2 Porter and his family in our thoughts and prayers.

r/
CDR Craig S. Prather, PE, MBA
Commanding Officer
NMCB 74
DSN: 318-430-7389
Cell: 965-720-1281


Balanced Team Excellence to Accomplish the Mission


One Command - One Team - One Family, period!


-----Original Message-----
From: Prather, Craig S USA CDR USN NMCB 74
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 1:59 PM
To: Leahy, Joseph CAPT NMCB/CO 22NCR FORWARD
Cc:
Subject: FW: RED CROSS MESSAGE 2222247 PORTER, JOSHUA (UNCLASSIFIED)

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

 CAPT Leahy,

   Per CCIR, advising that one of my Seabees received a Red Cross msg regarding his 6 mo pregnant wife who was in a car accident late last night (Gulfport time).  She was hit by a drunk driver on her way home from work- drunk driver is dead.  She's in critical condition on her way to specialty hospital in Mobile, AL, life expectancy 50/50, baby probably died.  SVCMBR informed, taking it hard, chaps and CoC counseling.  Working on getting him out of here back to the states ASAP.


   Any questions, pls. advise. 

v/r
CDR Craig S. Prather, PE, MBA
Commanding Officer
NMCB 74
DSN: 318-430-7389
Cell: 965-720-1281


Balanced Team Excellence to Accomplish the Mission


One Command - One Team - One Family, period!


-----Original Message-----
From: Powers, Kevin A USA CWO2 USN HQ
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 1:47 PM
To: Prather, Craig S USA CDR USN NMCB 74
Cc: Hamilton, Troy D USA LCDR USN NMCB 74 ; Lamar, Tony B USA CPO USN NMCB 74
Subject: RED CROSS MESSAGE 2222247 PORTER, JOSHUA (UNCLASSIFIED)

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

AMCROSS below:


V/r,
CWO2 Kevin A. Powers, USN
NMCB 74 "Fearless S1"
Admin/Legal/Embark Officer
Arifjan, Kuwait
DSN: 318-430-7390


-----Original Message-----
From: Smith, Marilyn A USA Ms USA ASG-KU
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 12:52 PM
To: Cook, Kendra USA PO3 USN NMCB 74
Subject: RED CROSS MESSAGE 2222247 PORTER, JOSHUA

** NOTES 25-Feb-2008 04:32:12  [25-Feb-2008 04:32:12  EST] DISPATCH TO OVERSEAS FROM CMC LOUISVILLE KY FOR GULFPORT MS TO AMCROSS KUWAIT RE E4//PORTER, JOSHUA/USN/ 257-33-3809 NMCB 74 GULFPORT MS FONE OVERSEAS
DSN:  318-430-7390

SERVICE FRIEND MSGT RETIRED DENISE STEARNS CELL 757-846-4760 REQUESTS NOTIFICATION AND PRESENCE DUE TO INJURY OF SERVICE WIFE ELIZABETH PORTER.
SAID IN CAR ACCID ENT TONIGHT.  SAID BROKEN LEGS AND PELVIS, AND 6 1/2 MONTHS PREGNANT. SAID SHE IS GOING TO BE TRANSFERRED BY AMBULANCE TO ANOTHER HOSPITAL.
WANTED TO FLY, BUT FOGGY, SO CANNOT. SAID TRIP TAKES ABOUT 1 1/2 HOURS.
DR  JOSHIUA THOMAS, EMERGENCY ROOM, GULFPORT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL 4500 THIRTEENTH ST GULFORT  MS 39501 FONE 228- 867-4000 STATED DIAGNOSIS:
MULTIPLE BLUNT TRAUMA. FRACTURES BOTH UPPER LEGS, MULTIMPLE PELVIC FRACTURES. SHOCK, POSSIBILITY OF BLEEDING  OUT.  BABY IS AT RISK, MAY HAVE ALREADY EXPIRED. 
PROGNOSIS:  GRAVE. CURRENT CONDITION: CRITICAL  LIFE
EXPECTANCY:  50 - 50 % TO MAKE IT TO OTHER HOSPITAL, OR WORSE.  PRESENCE IS RECOMMENDED SOONEST. SAID CRITICALLY ILL AND HAVE DONE ALL THEY CAN FOR HER.  BEING TRANSFERRED BY AMBULANCE TO UNIVERISITY OF SOUTHERN ALABAMA 2451 FILLINGIM ST MOBILE AL 36688 FONE 251-471-7000 WHERE A SURGEON IS STANDING BY .  SAID TO TELL SVCMN THAT THEIR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THEM.
SVCFRIEND REQUESTS CALL HERSELF  OR SERVCIE FATHER INLAW JOHN HAWKINS CELL 217-497-1967 UPON RECEIPT OF MESSAGE.

REFERENCE CASE NUMBER 2222247.

POC Marilyn Smith
American Red Cross Kuwait
DSN 318-434-4444





Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE 

[bb71challenger]

That is just about the worst thing that can happen to a young man and a young family. My thoughts and prayers go out to that man.

[Rare_T_A]

What can anyone say but............

[tactransman]

Sad to hear, God Bless the whole family.

 

[R/T hedkace]

Just aweful news 
 Truly hope the family can get this this tough time.
 Please send all our support their way, and know we send our deepest respect 

[Slotts]

What a tragic loss....

I wonder is there has been a fund set up for Joshua?

Slotts

[Topcat]

Sad to hear this.    My prayers to the family

[HemiDog]

That is terrible! 
I definitely will be wishing the best for him.   I know if I was in his shoes, I would come unglued. 

[Super Blue 72]

Wow, tragic, as I was reading the updates I almost started crying.  What a devestating thing to happen to him.  My thoughts and prayers go out to him.

[go-fish]

We are taking up donations all around our different detachements, here in Bahrain, Arifjan, Camp Moreell, etc.
We just kinda through cash in a hat real fast but I don't even know how it will get to him. There must be some kind of fund being set up through the Fleet and Family Center at the Gulfport base.
I will look into this and post something up tommorrow to let you know if there is or isn't anything we know of as far as a fund.
What usually happens when any Seabee that is on deployment and probably for any branch, the service member gets a Red Cross Message and the battalion works on getting them an emergency plane ticket, while that is happening the collection plate (hat) goes around and everybody will give all they can. Porter left so fast because he was deployed to a base right next to an airfield but we are still collecting money.
I just can't even imagine... actually I can imagine if it was my wife and 2 year old and I just tear up. I feel so bad for Porter. It's about a twenty hour plane ride back to the States and he had to land and hear the grim news.
Promise me everyone that you will never drink and drive. Just call a cab or something.

This story is a little wrong, we have no people in Lebanon currently.
http://www.sunherald.com/201/story/396151.html

[DoNotChallengeHer]

That is so tragic. My prayers are with the family.

[RedLine]

  Praying God provides extraordinary comfort and strength to Mr Porter and his wife's families and their friends during this tragic time.   Prayers for you, too, Go-fish for leadership and handling facilitation duties with your battalion while overseas. 

[RusTy/SE]

Wow, tragic, as I was reading the updates I almost started crying.  What a devestating thing to happen to him.  My thoughts and prayers go out to him.

 

[4Cruizn]

Brought tears to my eyes . . . very sad. 

[JS27N0B]

Absolutely horrible. Best wishes to him.