Young Tarheel's Letter to Pentagon Sparks Lesson in Heroism
By Rudi Williams
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2001 -- Fourteen days of not finding
anyone alive at the Pentagon crash site has caused hopes
for a miracle to wane. But a letter from a 12-year-old
North Carolina student for several days lifted the spirits
of all who read it, particularly Army Col. J. Edgar
Wakayama.
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Col. J. Edgar Wakayama poses with the letter written by Kayle Madren of Elon
College, N.C. The fifth-grader wrote calling the rescue and recovery teams at
the Pentagon “heroes.” Photo by Rudi Williams.(Click photo for screen-resolution image; high-resolution image available.)
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Kayle Madren, a fifth grader at Altamahaw Ossipee
Elementary School in Elon College, N.C., wrote:
Dear Heroes,
Thank (you) for being our heroes. I hope you find lots of
people. Please save the people that are still alive. Thank
you for being our heroes.
Be Careful,
Kayle
Dave and Shirley Hall, who are preparing and serving food
at "Camp Unity" for workers at the Pentagon crash site,
gave the letter to Wakayama while he was eating lunch. The
couple is with the "North Carolina Baptist Men," a group of
men and women who help the Red Cross feed people during
disasters.
Wakayama, an Army reservist on a one-year tour of duty in
the Office of the Secretary of Defense, was so taken by the
letter that he wrote back to the girl. He wrote, in part:
"Your kind words truly lifted my spirit during this most
difficult time in our country's history. Thank you very
much for taking time to write this heartwarming letter.
"The mood here is sad," Wakayama continued, "but the spirit
of people is high because of the many letters received by
students like you. Please pray for the families and friends
of those who died and are injured, physically and
emotionally, and for our president and the nation."
During a telephone interview, Kayle's parents, Tena and
Lester Madren, expressed both surprise and pride. "I didn't
think she would realize what was going on, but I guess
watching the news on television brought her feelings out,"
her father said. "That's her true heart coming out."
Kayle said her whole class wrote letters to the Pentagon
concerning their feelings about the hijacked airliner that
slammed into the building Sept. 11. The fifth grader said
she thinks people at the Pentagon are heroes "because
they're still looking for people, helping them and
protecting us."
"Kayle, we are all heroes," Wakayama wrote in his letter.
"Heroes are common people who rise during difficult times
and yet somehow manage to overcome tragedy. Heroes are
students like you who study hard, listen to their parents
and teachers, and become good citizens."
The colonel sent Kayle a diagram of the crash site, a
Pentagon shoulder patch and the eagle rank insignia of a
colonel. "Tell your school friends that we all appreciate
the kind letters, because not many of us can answer all the
letters," he said. "God bless you, your family, your school
and America."
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