Stay Safe: Chapter Fourteen

Stay Safe Book

Aug 17

Written By ereeves

What follows is a chapter from "Stay Safe: Life After Loss," a book that I wrote following the death of my brother, Robert James Reeves. Rob, only 14-months younger than me and 32 years old at the time of his death, was a Navy SEAL on the prestigious SEAL Team 6. On August 6, 2011, while on a mission in Afghanistan, he and too many of his teammates and other servicemen, lost their lives when their helicopter was shot down by enemy fire. It was the single largest loss of American life in the Afghan war. And because of the high profile nature of this event–being on the cusp of the Bin Laden mission and the number of those lost–my dad and I were part of many, many memorials and events, and the recipients of much outreach, and the point of contact for all those wanting to do something in Rob’s memory. This book chronicles the first month after his death. I am releasing a chapter a day starting August 5th as we mark the fourth anniversary of life without him.

Eulogy from Jerritt

We are here to celebrate and honor the life of Robert James Reeves. It’s my privilege today to say a few words about the Rob that I knew. The Rob that I knew rocked a member’s only jacket and blue blocker sunglasses. He brought back the calculator wristwatch. I still don’t know where he found it. And lastly, the Rob that I knew introduced me to one of his favorite things, Miller High Life. He told me once, after he learned that I had never tasted his beloved champagne of beers that he was “raised on Miller High Life.” From that point on the High Life was the only beer in our fridge.Over the years Rob accumulated numerous nicknames, none of which were of his choosing. Here are a couple of the more memorable ones. There was “Bobby Courage.” This name came from a photo that was taken of Rob during BUD/S. He was unaware the picture was being taken, and the photo became part of a Navy wide recruiting poster about courage. Then there was “iRob.” This name coming from his affinity for all things Apple. Many of you may also not be aware that Rob was a founding member of an exclusive group which had nothing to do with his duties as a SEAL. He was a member of the Green Team Boy Band as was dubbed by some of Rob’s teammates while going through training. No doubt this was due to his ridiculously handsome good looks.Rob kept me sharp and always on my toes. He was always pushing the envelope and blazing new trails. Rob set the bar awfully high and in short he made me a better SEAL. I looked up to him and always admired his drive, work ethic, and intelligence. Rob was the best man I ever knew.Rob has touched us all in some way or another. Most of us will remember his infectious sense of humor and quick wit. How he could always make us laugh. But through whatever mark Rob made on our lives, I know we all share the same sentiment, that we could never get enough of him. He was magnetic.Rob lived life on his own terms. When he wanted to climb a mountain, he didn’t just go rock climbing, he went for the tallest peak on the continent, climbing Mt. McKinley and Mt. Acancagua in North and South America, and Mont Blanc in Europe. When Rob wanted to learn to fly he took lessons in his free time and became a pilot. I truly believe that Rob would say he had no regrets.Over the course of 12 years of working and living together, Rob taught me many things, however, the most important thing he taught me was how two people born into different families could become thicker than blood. Rob was my brother through and through. So to Rob’s family, I consider you my family also.To Emily, every time I saw Rob he would tell me how you were doing and how much he cared about you. I know you were always on his mind.To Jim, Rob knew how proud you were of him. And rest assured, our job over there is not over.To [K.], you had an enormous effect on Rob. Trust me when I say that over all the years I knew Rob, I never saw him as happy as he was with you. I know that he loved you dearly.Rob made countless deployments to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as other hot spots around the world. On the night of August 6th, Rob and his teammates answered a call for help from a friendly unit under fire. They all knew the inherent risk, and carried on without a second thought. The uncommon bravery that was exhibited that night was second nature to all the members of Rob’s team.As we mourn his loss, I take comfort in knowing that Rob loved his job and would have chosen no other way to leave this world than surrounded by his teammates. Rob is a hero to us all. We must take with us the cherished memories we have of Rob and celebrate the man that he was. Rob will always be in our hearts, and never be forgotten. I love you brother. Until we meet again.

Read other chapters of this book.

ereeves