My one shot at the staging area
A Heroes Journey
Amy Duerksen's Ride report as told by Joe "Heavy Hand" Morgan
With a nagging lump in my throat I am reporting that this young soldier has reached her final destination, but it is with the utmost pride that I report being touched by her even though she is no longer with us. You see sometimes it truly is not the destination but it's the journey that makes the trip worth it. I've been to enough services to know that as expected you'll never here a murmur of a word to any faults the dearly departed may have had. The utmost respect is shown, deserved and carried out. But I've even been to a service were the deceased's legacy might of even been, well lets call it embellished. But this is clearly not the situation with PFC Amy Duerksen, her journey was a remarkable one, one any of us would have been proud to ride.
I never new PFC Durksen, and for that I am full of emotion having learned of my loss, and her families and our countries loss, but most of all, humanities loss. I learned enough of her on our mission that I was able to fill in some of the blanks and realize she was no ordinary soldier even if there is a such thing as an ordinary soldier. And since I clearly don't believe there are ordinary soldiers I would have to say she was no ordinary person either. This is what I know and love about Amy......
Amy and her siblings (a sister and two brothers) apparently came from a very grieve situation and were rescued by her adopted parents and another caring family at a young age. It is reported that she was proceeded in death by another brother that I have assumed was due to her pre-adoption living conditions. I hope I'm wrong in my assumption but talk of her horrendous living conditions at such an early age left me with that impression. So you see her journey started out very rough, worse then your worse day imaginable on this earth.
Even though her life started out rough Amy never used her position as a means to generate sorrow or a handout. She seemed to only live to help lift up those around her. As she grew into a young lady there were numerous occasions in which she displayed her ability to overcome and conquer what would send most of us to our knees. There are many examples and stories that can be told of her willing, and giving personality, some I have heard and will carry with me always. Amy wanted to be a soldier from a young age, maybe she wanted to follow in her fathers footsteps a Chaplin in the US Army, maybe she had her own needs and desires to serve the country that had provided so many freedoms for her. The reasons don't matter, but what happened does. She did become a soldier and truly believed she was doing God's work and the work her country needed from her. Strictly voluntarily she enlisted, was trained and joined her unit just before they were to be deployed to Iraq. Amy was told on more then one occasion by her commanders she could join her unit at a later date as she was just out of training and could have used the time to prepare for the next part of her life's journey. She choose to be deployed with her Team and to do her job. Even as she reported back to home she thanked God for being able to do what she was doing and showing all that she had been shown and she remained faithful to her beliefs and her country. She could have stayed a few miles from her family and held onto their support a bit longer instead she choose to support her country and in the end made the ultimate sacrifice.
But Amy wasn't done and she may never be done. She had at least one more mission. To teach me and others what it means to feel the pride she felt the faith she had and the determination that must be present in all Americans for the future of our country. I thought I knew what it was like, Amy showed me different and for that I am a better person. Amy was just 19, so young but knowing were she came from and were she went and how she ended her journey left me with one impression. Amy was sent here for many purposes, some of which she fulfilled as I rode with Pride on this overcast day. Not all of us are cut out to be soldiers, this doesn't mean that some of us don't want to help in some way, sometimes we just don't know how. Amy showed me how I can help.
I have been overwhelmed by emotion, frustration and exhaustion. Disgusted by the acts of some and comforted by the acts of others and poor Shelly (my truly better half) has put up with me for the last 16 hours or so, unable to sleep unable to think of anything else unable to easily put this behind me. Rather then put it behind me I'm going to carry PFC Duerksen's pride with me to the next PGR Mission. I'm sure that in coming missions I will hear more stories of more fallen soldiers and I will cherish them as well, but a young lady from Texas will always stand out for me.
I know this was supposed to be a "ride report" and a sharing of my experience with the Patriot Guard Riders, but this is what it is. I can not completely put into words what I felt on March 17, 2006 so I thought I would just report on Amy's ride. Maybe some of you want to know more about the weather, the route, the riders, the soldiers. Others may be curious about the presence of the protestors, what protestors I only saw proud Americans standing tall. If you want a bike ride report ask one of the other 120 riders that were there. From what I've seen, their stories are similar to mine. Maybe you want to see some pictures, I'll provide some links below, I only took one because I wanted to feel the emotion I knew could never be captured on even the best of digital cameras. If you want to know more about the Patriot Guard experience DO IT I can't explain it. Ask me how you can help.
Thanks for your Journey PFC Amy Alisha Duerksen
Thank you Doug and Michelle Duerksen, and those like you God Bless.
Comment on this article
My one shot at the staging area
Links to more pictures articles and information
Central Texas News Station Channel 6 including Video
Austin News 8 including Video
Blog Report form PGR Rider
Photos on Yahoo
From Amy's Dad
Dear Brothers and Sisters of the PGR,
After a long journey and an even longer two weeks, my wife and I have finally
arrived back at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. I checked my email knowing
that there would be too many messages to respond to just yet. However, there was
one message that had to be sent immediately and this is it. Thank you. Thank you
for honoring our Soldier Girl - PFC Amy Duerksen with roaring bikes and saluting
hands. Thank you for honoring our family with kind words and outstretched arms.
Thank you for honoring God with bowed heads and prayers in His name. Thank you
for honoring our country with pure hearts, good deeds, and American flags. Thank
you for giving up your personal time and resources to ride miles upon miles and
hours upon hours to honor, serve, and pay tribute to people that you have never
met. Thank you to those whose names I know like David David, Eric Story, and
Perry Jeffries. And thank you to the myriad of others who I would be proud to
know by name. Thank you to each and every one of the PGR who came, or wanted to
come, to Amy's going-home celebration. Your presence was a comfort and shield
for those of us who were in attendance. May our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
richly bless and protect you in all that you do. In grateful appreciation -
Thank you.
In Him,
Doug and Michelle Duerksen
Thanks you Doug and Michelle Duerksen, and those like you God Bless.