Things changed fast when Dad was killed while flying formation over the North Sea. The Air Force sent us home 3 days later.

“Please don’t take this personally, Mrs. Heaton,” General Kimmel told Mom. “The Air Force doesn’t like other dependents to dwell on the dangers,” he added. “If there’s anything I can do, please give me a jingle.”

I can still see Mom running through the doorway and knocking him to the ground. He had the nerve to get pissed off and even laughed out loud as the military police drug us off the base housing. She was holding Dad’s picture and smoking his Dutchmaster cigars. They checked her into a Pscyh. hospital in London where she ended up killing herself. I had plans to join her, but Sam taught me how to give a shit again.

Once I got back stateside, I finished my senior year of high school. It was pretty intense, and my grades were barely good enough to graduate. I would have dropped out if Sam wasn’t always there pushing me to continue. “Do it for Mom and Dad,” he said repeatedly.