When your son comes to you and says “Mom, I want to go into the Army”, what is your response? It’s one of those moments that as a parent is mixed with both fear and incredible pride. Our Customer Service Center Manager, Tracy Wiederkehr, found herself in this very position with her son, Gary Glenn.
Gary Glenn was a junior at Rosenberg High School when he decided that he wanted to join the military. Like most moms, Tracy had mixed emotions. This was her Gary Glenn. Her fun-loving son who loved to play football, golf, involved in FFA and if given the choice, could spend all of his free time at the lake fishing; the jokester who would sneak up on his Mom to scare the heck out of her and follow it up with hug. He was loving, kind and would give a stranger the shirt off his back. This was her Gary Glenn.
And so she asked him why? Gary Glenn’s answer left Tracy not only sure that he grasped the seriousness of his chosen career path, but also in awe of her son’s courage. He said, “Mom, I want to fight not only for my freedom, but for your freedom and for our country’s freedom.” Gary Glenn was 17 years old at the time.
This past June, Gary Glenn graduated from Rosenberg High School and enlisted in the Army. He is currently at Boot Camp in Fort Benning, Georgia. He’ll be home in October for a short visit before being stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in the Spring. He couldn’t be more proud to be a part of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell with a one year deployment to Afghanistan in March.
Those of us at Dagley Insurance & Financial Services have witnessed the love and support that Tracy has given to her son and even while at the office, he is always on her mind. She proudly displays the picture of him in uniform on her desk and keeps all of us up-to-date on his training. And as she should be, it is obvious that she is more than proud of her son. Today we want to honor Gary Glenn, Tracy and their family along with the thousands of men and women who make this same sacrifice for our continued freedom on daily basis.
Remember the loving and generous part of Gary Glenn’s nature? It’s no surprise that he paid to fly Tracy and his 16 year-old brother, Sean, to Georgia to visit. Sean plans to follow in his brother’s footsteps of service and proudly serve in the National Guard. Tracy could not be more proud of Gary Glenn and the courageous path he has chosen. When Tracy arrived in Georgia to visit her young son, she almost didn’t recognize the man that stepped up to hug her. Well, almost – afterall, he’s still her Gary Glenn.