Yesterday evening, Duncan Crookston passed away. He had been severely wounded in the EFP attack that had killed, Joel Murray, David Lane, and Randy Shelton, and had also wounded Joseph Mixson. When Duncan was evaced that night they had told us that he wouldn't make it through the night. He fought hard for 5 months, he had the Doctors at BAMC perplexed.
Duncan had come to my squad late in the year in 2006 right before we deployed to Iraq. The first time I met him everyone was like you gotta check this guy out he is the smartest dude ever. I walked down to one of the barracks room where he was hanging out and watched this kid complete a Rubix Cube in under 56 seconds. His knowledge of computers, and iPODs and PSPs and electronics were unchecked in the platoon, if you had a computer problem you called Duncan, you wanted games on your PSP, take it to Duncan, right before we left I had to have him come and fix my home PC because my wife couldn't get online to do her home work for college. Because of his technical prowess he was moved to the Radio Telephone Operator position in the Platoon. That pissed me off because I knew that Duncan was a good Soldier and I hated losing him. Over all it was the best decision because he was the most qualified Soldier for the job.
Duncan was many things to a lot of people. He was a son, friend and husband to a woman that stayed by his side the whole time he was at BAMC. My heart and prayers go out to her and Duncans family. He is definitely a hero, and a warrior. You fought so hard Duncan now you can be at peace. You made an impression and impact on all those whose paths your life crossed, we will remember your humor, your caring, your genius, and the bread you used to make with your bread maker. Anytime anyone picks up their PSP, or iPOD or opens a program that you got for them on their computer, they will always think of you and remember that no matter what you were always willing to help them. I will remember the Fedalayah water. Just a drop.
I know that when he went that Murray, Lane and Shelton were waiting for him, and because God called for him there isn't any better group of guys that he could be with.
Duncan will be missed but Never Forgotten.
Here is a letter that his mother sent out to us to better tell you about the battle that Duncan fought.
Dear Friends and Family,It is with great sadness I write to you today - Duncan passed away at 3:346 p.m. today after the decision was made to stop heroic measures. Duncan developed another infection over the past two days, the effects of which were causing him a great deal of pain and causing him to run a fever of 108* F overnight. The doctor who treated Duncan said he had never heard of anyone surviving such a high fever, and that normally the body did not allow itself to sustain such a high temperature for even 15 minutes, let alone the 2 hours Duncan suffered with it. The doctor said it was an indication the hypothalamus of the brain, which regulates body temperature, was damaged. He also advised us even though Duncan survived, he would have permanent and widespread brain damage that would eventually cause his organ systems to fail, and that his kidneys were already dialysis dependent, and he was quickly becoming ventilator dependent. Meaghun and I were asked to make a decision, and we chose to allow Duncan to die a dignified and peaceful death, so he was given a morphine drip and taken off the ventilator. He died about 45 minutes later surrounded by his beautiful wife, his mother, his battle buddy Joe Mixson and the hospital chaplain he had come to know during his stay. It is the closest thing to a "good death" one could ask for a young man who fought so hard and long, only to have the limits of his body betray him. Once we knew there was no chance of any sort of quality of life, we felt we could not ask this brave young man who lived life to its fullest to spend his remaining days hooked to machines with no chance of recovery.Words cannot express the gratitude we feel towards all those who offered support and prayer to Duncan and our families during the past 5 months. We can take away from this experience the knowledge that good people exist in this world, that evil is worth fighting or that reason, and Duncan was a proud example of a good person who did not stand by and allow it to flourish by doing nothing. Duncan would have been 20 years old tomorrow - he will be forever 19 now, and forever missed.Love, Lee Crookston
Posts
21 comments:
Hooah, Duncan, Hooah...
Rest in peace brother and friend even though I never met you. Your battle touched so many. You will be remembered with honor.
Groundhog
Member - M14 Firing Line Forums
I have become a better man as I've prayed for you these five months.
M1ashooter
Member_M14 Firing Line Forums and prayer warrior
Rest in peace PFC Crookston. May you be in the company of angels until you are reunited with your sweet Meaghun.
This tears my heart out. RIP PFC Crookston. We send our love and our prayers to your loved ones and to your comrades who are grieving. SSG Ruark is right, you will never be forgotten. It sets my heart at ease knowing you are now on patrol in Heaven with Murray, Lane and Shelton. And, what a comfort knowing your battle buddy, Joe Mixson, was also there by your side as you made your final journey home.
I'm so sorry to learn this very sad news. He had such a long and hard battle to fight after suffering his awful injuries. His family made a courageous decision to let him go peacefully now, something that well reflects their deep love for him. My most sincere condolences to all of Duncan's loved ones. Please know that there are many out here who are grateful for his service and for what he was able to do in his too short life. Rest in peace, brave soldier...
to a better man than i.....
you were such a smart dude... it now holds true when they say the god die young... you had so much goin for you... sumtimes i think y didnt i go in you place... as you had so much more goin for you in your life... a wife... education... a future... and also you were a far better man than i was and am today... i remember the times we'd sit in the CP at the COP... i'd jus get off guard... n you would be try'n to teach me about stocks n stuff... n we'd jus bullshit... when my computer would fuck up... you where the first person i'd ask for help... and in an instant you would have my shit fixed... i remember the first time i met you... when i first came to Cco.... you were showin me this new music down load stuff... and then we went n duck taped sgt anslums door up... lol... we had some good times man... we had plans that you were gonna take me n tengo to our first rave... me n tengo talked bout it... we are gonna do that still.. party for you.. i cant imagin the pain you went through the last 5 months man... i know your in a better place though... your a fighting man... an infantry man... and you have my fuckin respect... HOOAH!!
i love you brother...
Wink
I only met you a few times Duncan, but I knew you were an awesome man, friend, soldier and husband. My thoughts and prayers go out to your wife and family. You have fought a brave fight, now you are at rest. Keep watch over all your guys until they return home, they need a great guardian. You are a hero and you will never be forgotten.
Rest in peace my Brother! I want to thank you for all the great times in high school. We both made the choice to serve our great nation! You will be known to my children as a hero!
Hooah, love you Bro!
Dave
Rest in peace PFC Crookston. My grateful thanks will never be enough for your service and sacrifice.
C
Rest in Peace Duncan Crookstan. My condolences to the family, friends and service members.
I was directed to this site by CPT Costello of Made a Differnce: A Soldier's Letter's Home blog.
I can't believe I hadn't found your blog until now. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your fellow Soldiers until you are sfaely home.
Thanks for serving and Thanks for sharing.
"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."
- General George S. Patton, Jr
I thank God that Duncan graced this Earth for the short time that he did. May your family find peace and take comfort in knowing Duncan was a great hero to many.
I am very sorry to hear about your loss. My thoughts and prayers out to all that loved him
Angie
A Soldiers Angel
Dear Crookston Family,
I was one of the first nurses to care for PFC Crookston, and his family. I knew in my heart he would make it just from the love his family had and they took my advise to heart and took care of themselves. PFC Crookston rallied so many times and I am glad for the family they had those precious moments before his injuries over came hime. He and his family will forever be in my mind. SPC Tabatha Goyette 68WM6 (LVN)
RIP PFC Crookston.
Prayers for all those who knew and loved him.
Sherri
Duncan: We will miss you. Meaghan and Lee, you are in my wife's and my prayers. Peace to you.
Report from the Funeral:
Snowed 2 inches overnight - fres white blanket on the ground. Cleared off for sunny blue sky for the funeral and cemetary. Clouded up afterwards. Just shows that God looks after His own.
Patriot Guard Riders, VFW and Legion all there. No protesters.
Your bro and his family & friends were well looked after by us Veterans there and along the way. We got your back, here in Colorado.
CTM and get home safe as you can.
Hooah.
I attended Duncan's funeral today in Denver. I did not know Duncan but his aunt is a dear friend of mine and we are members of the same church. I thought you might want to know about the funeral.
You could tell it was a military funeral from a block away. An honor guard of grizzled Vietnam-era veterans lined the walks leading into the main entrance, standing at attention and holding large American flags. They wore biker outfits and jackets or vests with their military patches on them. These war-torn soldiers had come to honor one of their fallen sons. I had to stand at the edge of the walkway for a few minutes to collect myself, it was so moving.
As I entered the foyer, there was another honor guard of young soldiers standing in a line in the hallway. They were there to escort the casket into the chapel.
The chapel was at capacity so the overflow area into the gymnasium was opened up. They clearly did not expect so many to attend because 15 minutes before the funeral was to begin, men were unfolding extra chairs. Ultimately, they filled even the stage at the back of the room and guests were standing in the halls and at the edges of the room. I would guess there were more than 800 people in attendance.
Duncan's mother is an animal control officer for the city of Lakewood. Scattered throughout the audience were not only her fellow uniformed animal control officers, but Lakewood police and fire department officers. There were also officers from Denver and from the Sheriff's department, and many, many military personnel.
Most of the speakers at the service were fellow church members who knew Duncan. In fact, I sat next to someone from my own ward who had been Duncan's Young Men's advisor a few years ago. I was touched that each of the special speakers was, himself, a former soldier who had seen combat. One had even been injured in Iraq within the last three years.
They read the letters that you have posted on this blog, from you, his Staff Sergeant, and from his mother. They also read a letter from the Chaplain at the hospital in Fort Sam Houston and from Duncan, himself, written to his wife two days before he was injured.
His wife spoke. As I listened to her, I was struck by how she was just an ordinary person who, in the last five months, blossomed into an extraordinary young woman. Her husband was so horrifically injured that the nurses had to warn each of his visitors, and even battle-worn visitors were shocked at his condition. And yet Meaghan stayed by his side every day for five months and spoke of how she fell in love with him all over again every time she walked into the room.
Her cousin spoke briefly, telling about how they used to set up a baby monitor to listen to Meaghan talk to Duncan on the phone, and how they lost track of how many times she said, "Babe, I love you".
I was touched by the constant evidence of Duncan's courage. Clearly, through the trials of the last five months, when his fight for life left his body shaking as he struggled for each breath, even when he was asleep, this young man grew into someone not just heroic but divine.
His aunt told me, privately, that his family felt like he had promised to come home to his wife, and he did. They knew that his chances were very slim and felt like the last five months were given to them to embrace one another and to say goodbye.
Duncan's influence will be felt throughout this generation. I am only one of many who is a better person for having prayed for him and shared, however distantly, in his passing.
Bless you,
Teresa in Colorado
P.S.
The final hymn sung at Duncan's funeral was "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and the postlude hymn was a very slow rendition of "America the Beautiful". I am a church organist, myself, and have played for funerals for the last 30 years. Hearing "America the Beautiful" played with such feeling and reverence, as the audience stood while the family filed out of the room, will stay with me the rest of my life.
Blackfive.net has a post up about this. If you can't access it, send me an email and I'll get it to you if you'd like.
God bless you, Duncan, and all your comrades. Thank you for your precious gift of service.
gsg
2/28th Inf; 1st Inf Div. '67-'68
Duncan,
I remember having classes with you, I remember cracking jokes on you and I remember punching you (jokingly) but I never thought that I would be on a site, telling you that I missed you. I know it's been a while since you've been gone, but I found out last night that the person who almost single-handedly killed so many people you were fighting to protect, is now dead. Osama is gone and I know this would be one proud moment for you. I cried last night, and right now as I tell you this because you bravely fought even though you knew what could happen. You were nice, and sometimes I thought you were a little weird, you were my weird friend and I will forever remember what you did for this country. May you rest in peace and I will see you on the other side.
*Danielle
Post a Comment