Navy Times Article
Morehead News Article
Service Announcement
2010-08-19 07:39 on my way to work, I got a phone call from my closest friend Cody Bumgardner informing me that Collin was killed in action during an Afghanistan operation. I honestly don’t know what else to say on the matter, so this may well come out as a lot of rambling nonsense. If it does I apologize.
I’m not a hero worshiping type – outside of family I can count on my fingers the number of people I genuinely look up to. But Collin was at the top of that list. The things he did spoke for themselves. He was a Navy SEAL, and a highly decorated combat veteran whose list of medals and accolades would lengthen this article to absurdity. In short, he was the quintessential badass. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. Collin was to put it simply, a good man.
For the most part, he was a clean cut, low key kind of guy. It made a hilarious contrast with operational pictures where he sometimes resembled Grizzly Adams meets Deliverance. At all times Collin had a wry sense of humor and quick wits to go with it. I’ll never forget a bird hunting trip the day after Thanksgiving in 2004. I jokingly asked what the birds must think about us. Without a second’s pause he brought one down with an all too casual crack shot and answered “He’s tired of being a bird. Eeeking out a living on seeds… We’re doing him a favor”. Another one I recall (after having his watch broken) “…now I can’t tell time, I’m gonna clean your clock!” Yeah, these might not sound funny in text. But the quickness, ease, and delivery just made it perfect. Replaying them in my head with his voice still gives me a chuckle. Any time spent with Collin, and it was rare considering his profession, was loaded with moments like that. Collin wasn’t without a temper either. I could tell you a few stories about some individuals he put in their place here and there. Never a pretty sight, but always hilarious.
All in all though, what I admired about Collin was the general panache in which he carried himself. He wasn’t gung ho or pushy, he just took calamities in stride and got things done. Plans go bad. Make new ones. Girlfriend did him wrong? That sucks, time to get another. No shore leave? Send a postcard and go back to work. Guys like that command respect, and they deserve it.
He was the only human being I’ve willingly shared a “bro hug” with. If you knew me, that’s saying something. That goes double for admitting that as I write this I find myself holding back a tear or two. The one solace I can take from this is knowing through proper channels and other means I can’t talk about that he took plenty of those sub human heaps of excrement with him. I don’t have to wish or imagine Collin didn’t go down easy.. I KNOW he didn’t, and the rest of his unit is still out there taking the fight forward.
My heart goes out to the Thomas family, who also lost Edward (Collin’s cousin and another good friend from football) at the Pentagon during 9-11. They are a proud military family, but this is a hard blow no matter who you are.
If you read this, please recall that Collin died protecting the comforts and freedoms we repeatedly take for granted. Right now there are many more out there just like him. Sadly, he isn’t the first or last to make the ultimate sacrifice. Remember to keep them in your prayers at least. Freedom has not, nor will it ever be free.
Should you be a friend of Collin’s as well, I hope to see you at his service. Be well.
DC
Hey Damon. Love the article. Just a small bit about a great friend and American hero! It’s really tough to lose a friend like Collin. It seems like just yesterday we were shooting targets in his parents back yard. I don’t think any of us expected to lose him or any other friend until much later in life. I hadn’t seen Collin in years and we hung out a couple of months ago when he was in Morehead. It was great to spend some time with him. I had a very strange dream the other day, the first and only dream I ever had with Collin in it. I had picked him up at his parents house and we were headed toward the lake. My accelerator stuck and I was speading. I got up to 70 and Collin kept smacking my arm and saying “KIP! KIP!”. There was a cop ahead and he was warning me. We passed the cop and he turned on his lights….I woke up. Didn’t think anything about it until 2 days later when I got the news. Turns out it was the same day he got killed. I don’t know why I had that dream but it has really made me think more about him and the good times we had. He’ll be missed and our circle of friends will never be the same. I hope you are doing well and I hope to see you when they have a service for Collin in Morehead. Call me sometime. I think you have my number but if you don’t it is (859)492-6589. Thanks again for the nice article. It was tough to read.
Kip
Well put Damon. I wasn’t fortunate enough to know him very well, but I know that he was a ‘stand up’ sort of guy. I felt after reading your description that I knew him a little better.
Michelle
May Collin rest in the Peace of the Just. Your comments speak eloquently of him as a friend.
Thanks all. It is tough to loose a friend like Collin, even if we never got to see him much.
As Cody pointed out, how many of us set a goal in childhood and actually followed through? Collin died doing exactly what he wanted. It hurts, but we have to be proud of him too, yes? I certainly think so.
Damon,
Thank you for posting this. I had the honor of attending the graveside service and was one of the four sailors that saluted as the SEALs carried his casket from the horse-drawn carriage to the grave. I just wanted you to know when we got the call, my Chief put the best people on this funeral. The Rifle Team was from Arlington National Cemetery. The Chiefs that folded the flag came from an area that stretches from Columbus Ohio to Roanoke Virginia. We had our best people to honor SOC Thomas. I sincerely offer my condolences to you and the family and I speak on behalf of all of us that attended when I say it was truly an honor to be offered this opportunity.
You can contact me at sullivan53@marshall.edu if you have any questions. God bless,
MA2 Ian Sullivan
Damon…I just read everything you wrote about Collin. Thank you! I wasn’t able to attend the memorial on Saturday and was heartbroken about that. I really liked the pictures you posted to the article!!! Again, I enjoyed reading some of the stories you had about Collin!!!
Everyone,
Thank you again for the kind words. I’ve been avoiding this topic for a while, but Veteran’s Day (and a few other things) coming up sort of forced the issue in my head.
Anyway, I just thought I should thank everyone for their support of Collin, his family, and the troops he left behind. God bless them in this continuing time of need.
DC