Last summer’s joyful homecoming of Morristown serviceman Jamie Bell was something we’ll never forget.
Turns out Jamie and his wife Lidia also made a lasting impression on author Danuta Hinc, who joined us that day in July and has reflected on the experience in her blog.
Danuta, a professor at the University of Maryland, has written a powerful novel, To Kill the Other, which explores the psyches of the 9/11 terrorists.
Her research included extensive reading about Afghanistan, where Jamie Bell has flown Army missions in an Apache attack helicopter. He volunteered for that duty after serving as a Marine in Iraq.
Danuta writes:
With time my memory won’t preserve the details of that evening, but it will safeguard the feelings: Bell’s unstoppable energy, his joyful spirit, his openness, professionalism, and his commitment to his beautiful wife Lidia and their children. What surprised me most was Bell’s demeanor, something I will never forget. He displayed an unbroken spirit and an untarnished faith in the mission of our country. And talking with Lidia, I will always remember the grace and devotion she exhibited. She is the rock that makes everything else possible.
Jamie is back safely with his family at Fort Hood, Texas. So it will be a Merry Christmas for Jamie’s mother, Dorothy.
“Everybody is doing wonderful,” she said. “I’m so happy he’s back.”
