I just watched the Mike Durant interview on the Shawn Ryan show. During the interview he gives his thoughts and personal account of what happened during the Battle of Mogadishu. During the interview he references a letter the Stephanie Shughart, the widow of Sgt. First Class Randy Shughart, wrote to him. So I looked it up and thought I’d post it for anyone whose not read it:

Dear Mike,
I know that Wednesday evening was as difficult for you as it was for each of us. You will never now how much it meant to me to see you face to face and give you a hug. There are so many things I would like to tell you and ask you but I don't want to cause you any more pain or suffering.
When I thanked you for giving Randy's death a purpose I meant it. It is not to detract from the bravery of heroism of the others that died, however, I can look at you and talk to you and see that his efforts were not in vain. Perhaps your wife can explain to you what I'm sure she too experienced during those days. When you are a wife in this situation the global and political picture pales and you concentrate only on the one you love and what his immediate isolated situation is. Many people may not understand my feelings and indeed it is difficult to express them accurately.
But I am going to express them to you.
I want you to know that because of your bravery and refusal to give up while captured I can sleep at night. Your refusal to be defeated and give up was as brave an act as Randy's. Had you given up I would have never known for sure what exactly happened to him. I can live with the fact of knowing he died to save another man than had he died from a random bullet shot from a hidden source. If you knew Randy you would know that he was a very quiet and unselfish man. He always put others first and therefore it is fitting and appropriate that he died the way he did. Randy truly loved what he did and had God given him the choice of how to die I know in my heart he would have chosen to go down just as he did. I also know that had Randy been injured in a helicopter you would have piloted a helicopter in to save him no matter how dangerous the situation was.
I don't ever want you to question why you lived and Randy and the others with you did not. You lived to come back and give me some peace of mind to what would have been an otherwise unexplainable situation. You are a living reminder and testament of what the Delta soldiers and those that work with them are all about. The squadron can look to you and know that the beliefs they have and the oath they swear to are valid. Randy and Gordy were not alone when they tried to rescue you. They carried a lot of insight, knowledge and strength from each mate they had ever worked with inside of them.
I want you to enjoy your life and be happy. Look back with pride, not sorrow. Just as Randy fought to save you, you fought and did not give up, perhaps knowing you were fighting to save me... from a tortured mind and heart.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Shughart

That is a woman.

That’s pretty fantastic. Thank you for sharing. I had never read that.

I have been watching it as well. Great letter and great lady.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
That is a woman.

100%

That's amazing. Thank you for sharing that. Looking forward to listening to that episode.

A letter of true appreciation and thanks.

This Shawn Ryan interview was fantastic. Thanks for posting this. What a classy lady.

Wow. Just… wow