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Dear Mrs. Nowacki,
I never ever imagined I would have to write this letter, I am
so sorry to hear about your loss. This is some of the most devastating
news I have ever received in my entire life. I can't even begin
to imagine the pain, anger and the confusion you are experiencing
right now.
I know there will never ever be a way to take the pain away.
But you have to stop and think why you are feeling so much pain
and anger and sadness. It's because you are the mother of one
of the greatest people I, or anybody else Andy came into contact
with, have ever known.
If there is one word to describe Andy, I think 'unique' would
be appropriate. When people think of someone being unique they
usually think of one's creativity or ways they express themselves.
This is true but it applies to Andy in such a deeper way, Andy
was unique to me because I have never known anyone that was so
happy all of the time. He was the most free spirit I have ever
encountered. He always had a smile. And what a smile it was.
My God, those bright blue eyes and sinister grin were so distinct
you couldn't help but to smile back. He was so happy-go-lucky
that you would think he was in another world at any given time
of day. Nothing bothered this kid because the things that would
bother anyone else were too small for him to be concerned with
(He wore big white socks with his flip-flops for gosh sakes).
He knew what mattered in life. It wasn't clothes or money or
popularity or any other possession that we normal people all
crave. The only thing he cared about were his family, his friends,
his job, his health, and having a good time. The crazy thing
about it is, he didn't even know we all knew this about him.
One day after auto shop I just had to stop and ask him what his
deal was. I said, "Andy what is with you? Why are you always
so happy?" And in typical fashion he smiled back. Just stood
there and smiled back like he knew something we didn't. Then
he finally responded that "there was nothing to be unhappy about." It
was so matter of fact with him. He said it while smiling. A feat
that no one else I know can do. Andy could talk while smiling.
I mean, a big huge smile. I'll never ever forget that smile.
And then there was his voice. Where in the heck did he get that
accent? That voice was so indescribably amazing. You can try
to impersonate it, but only Andy had it. He called me "Ain-jroo".
I can hear it now, "Hey Ainjroo, you know your Mom hates the
smell of vanilla." That was the best sentence I ever heard from
him. From out of nowhere this guy told me that my Mom hated the
smell of vanilla. God only knows how he knew that. But I wouldn't
expect anything less from him. What a great voice, and a great
laugh to go with it. His laugh was so funny. It always sounded
like he was a mad scientist or a patient in the loony bin.
I saw Andy a few times when I started to hang out with the kids
from South Euclid. There were few occasions were I'd see him
but we never spoke. No reason why, we just were never introduced.
But the first I saw him I knew he was a character. And I'll tell
you why. The way he walked. Like his accent that has no origin,
Andy had a walk that no one else had. He had those long strides,
and arms that swung and were held outwards. It was more of a
strut than a walk. Just another piece of Andy that made him unique.
But this is the best part. You thought those things were great?
I mean the voice, the laugh, and the strut were the things that
made him so magnetic. These were things that made you find out
who he was on the inside and become a friend of his. And once
you were allowed into his world you'd see and hear things that
you only see in movies or on TV. He had these characteristics
that movie executives pay writers millions of dollars to create.
But he had them, and they were real. So once I became his friend
I knew he had something great to offer. The best part about him
was his sense of humor and creativity. They blended so well together
that when he was just being Andy we were all rolling on the floor
laughing. He carried around a little plastic chameleon for weeks.
Rupricht was his name. If you got it wrong you were scolded.
I never heard a name like that before so I always called him
Rupert and I was always corrected, sternly. It was the creativity
meshing with his sense of humor like usual. Just like my most
favorite of all stories about him. This is the one that you tell
your kids about when you get older. I believe it was a Friday
night. We all got together and headed up to Eastgate Coliseum
when it was still around. We played pool, and went bowling. We
were on our way out when we saw these girls that a few of us
knew. So we all stopped and those that knew them introduced us
to them. Well, finally the first girl gets to Andy and she says "Hi
my name is Jessica", and I saw the light bulb go on in his head
and then explode. He reached out his hand and introduced himself
in some sort of cocky college jock way saying: "Hey, I'm Ace...from
the School of Hard Knocks". That was it. The world stopped turning,
everyone was in shock. It took about 2 seconds and we all looked
at each other and just lost it. "Did he just call himself Ace?",
I asked myself. I thought it was the funniest thing I've ever
heard. It was so perfect and it just epitomized who he was. Nobody
gets away with calling themselves Ace from the School of Hard
Knocks, except for Ace. It began there. I don't know how long
after high school he stopped calling himself that, I do know
he was still Ace when we worked at Good Year together, but my
God, if you saw him during that period, you had better call him
Ace. By the end of the school year everyone called him Ace. His
teachers, the principal, our parents. He was Ace. Then began
the variations of it. There were tons of them. He was so excited
when he was in auto shop and saw a can of spray paint that said "No
Acetone". He thought it said ace tone. But the most popular of
them all was of course the very regal and proper "America's Number
1 Acehole". You could call him number 1 for short, but I always
took the time to say it in full. We'd play homerun derby and
every single time he hit a homerun that hand would go up as he
ran the bases with the number 1 in the air. Every single time.
He was a good baseball player too, so he hit plenty of home runs
and he always had that finger in the air letting everyone know
he was number one. When he caught the ball and robbed people
of their respective home run, he throw the ball back and put
the finger up. The best part was that while everyone else was
cracking up he'd be stone faced as if he meant business. Just
walking around the outfield with a finger in the air. He was
my Ace. He was everyone's Ace.
I remember his taste in music. It was the most scattered and
bizarre mix of some of the weirdest songs ever. There was the
month where he played nothing but 'Eye of the Tiger’. He'd play
it once, then rewind it, play it again and again and again for
at least a month. And when you thought it was over he comes back
at you with Dexy's Midnight Runner's 'Come on Eileen'! He loved
that song. You'd expect nothing less of course.
Just having Andy around was the best part of being his friend.
You never knew what to expect, except for the unexpected. He
was a master at being happy, and it was infectious. He was always
happy. He was great at pushing buttons just for a laugh. He'd
tease us with the most juvenile, silly things and we'd fall into
the trap. He'd do something like putting his finger in your face
and laugh. He did it to me once and I got so mad at him I almost
punched him. But I didn't, because of two reasons. First, I knew
the kid could take a punch. He used to run into trees with his
helmet on, I'm sure he could endure a punch. And second, because
it took me about 2 seconds to realize that what he was doing
was making sure we didn't take ourselves too seriously. He got
away with spraying Mr. Leventry with the hose 2 or 3 times and
never got punished because it was Andy. You can't stay mad at
Andy.
To this day when I think about him, I always start to feel a
bit guilty. It's because I felt I took him for granted. I get
mad at myself because he was always happy. There are times when
you just get mad at someone because they're so happy. Well, that's
what happened with me. I'd expect him to be happy and cheerful.
If he wasn't then it ruined everyone's day. If Andy was sad then
you knew something was really wrong. It's amazing how much emotion
you can invest into one person. He had quite a load to bear,
but he did it without hesitation.
I am kicking myself right now because I didn't stay in touch
with him, but he moved on into his own life so quickly after
high school that it seemed impossible to keep track of him. He
was the first to be married, the first to get his own place,
the first to buy his own car. He matured quickly but when he
came back around there was always time for some fun.
I am very proud of Andy. He's seen and done things that we only
dream about. But that's who he was.
I am even more proud to call myself a friend of Andy Nowacki's,
let alone say I knew him. I never really stopped to think about
what a great person he was, because it was just who he was. But
now that this has happened it brings a huge smile to my face
and a flood of tears to my eyes because I knew him, and now he's
gone. I think that's why this is all so hard. Because you think
about the great times, and you are happy, and then you know the
world is missing a hero and you just lose it.
Mrs. Nowacki, I would drop everything right now to stop and
give you hug and tell you everything is going to be all right.
In time it just might be, but for now you need to take the time
to be selfish and know that it is okay to be angry with God,
or the government or the faceless coward that did this because
you created one the most wonderful souls to ever grace this earth.
I know you are proud of him. We all are. But you need to also
take pride in the fact that you and Mr. Nowacki raised a beautiful
human being. A human being in which thousands of people loved
strictly because he was who he was.
Andy Nowacki was a happy, cheerful, smiling, courageous, handsome,
considerate, fun-loving, morally strong, heroic, ambitious, kind,
patient, witty, hilarious, imaginative, creative, respectful,
honest, and of course unique human being. And most importantly
to me, a friend.
I will miss him terribly, but I can always go back and think
of the time we spent together and soon I'll find comfort in that.
Again, I am terribly sorry for your loss. I want to thank you
for letting me take a minute of your time to tell you how I feel
about my friend.
I know that I am in Florida, but if there is anything I can
do, anything at all, just let me know.
I will be coming home to say goodbye to my friend and I hope
I can give you a hug then.
May God bless you and Mr. Nowacki and Nate and Peter. You are
in my prayers. Thank you again.
With utmost sincerity, respect and love,
Andrew Moore
Dear Sheila (and Denis, Peter and Nathan),
It's Nelson Moore, Andrew's Dad. (I apologize for e-mailing,
but Andrew didn't have your mailing address and this is surely
more legible than my handwritten note anyway.)
As soon as Andrew composed himself enough to tell me about Andy,
my first thought was that angelic/devilish smile. Since then,
I have been haunted by thoughts of your horrible loss.
Your son was special and magical. He always made us laugh and
now he makes us cry, too. He was-and is-a wonderfully kind, gentle
and spirited soul.
His juxtaposed irreverent lightheartedness and respect were
remarkable. When I met him, I was counseling adolescents and
the custom was to be called by my first name, so Andrew and Brendan
always told their friends to call me Nelson, which most of them
did immediately. Not Ace. It was "Mr. Moore", but with that that
twinkle in his mischievous eye that connected us more instantly
than any words ever could.
Ace always came across as being down to earth and up to something.
And it was always something good or funny. He could make Andrew
laugh in his overly serious moments or find him a job in his
anxious ones.
You raised a fine young man. He showed us Cathy and me that
our son knew how to choose the right friends. And Ace was the
best.
Now I am in St. Petersburg (on the far side of the state from
Andrew, who's ripped apart by this) working with adults and,
having been thinking about this constantly, I used Ace as an
example of spirituality in a lecture last night. I told 31 adults,
ranging from 19 to 62, of his unforgettable smile, his jaunty
step, his big and beautiful heart, the managerie he had in Iraq
and the laughter he carries from here to heaven. I told them
that if they could find a fraction of what Andy continues to
share with all of us who were lucky enough to know him, even
if only for a few fleeting years, they would have everything
they need to know about goodness and how God sends gifts to us
through messengers like your son.
I think he knew that life was too important and too precious
to be taken too seriously. I will continue to share Ace's message
and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Nelson Moore
Dear Sheila and family,
I have sat here for some time and thought about what I can possibly
say to you to let you know how sorry I am for Andy's death. I
have never been one to know what to say or how to say it but
I have to, for all of us, tell you what Andy meant to me. I picked
Andy to be my gunner because of his proficiency and abilities
at that job. Andy's job was very difficult compared to that of
other gunners because he was more exposed then most of them.
I needed someone that I could trust that wouldn't hesitate at
any moment to offer the protection that we needed. Andy was that
Marine. I felt very safe having him watching over me and I never
questioned his judgment. I will not be able to cover any of the
details of our mission or what we had been doing on the day he
was hit until I come home due to the security issues we have
here, but I can tell you the we were an a mission and that our
vehicle took a direct hit from a roadside bomb or IED. I tell
you with confidence that I believe with all my heart that Andy
felt nothing. Even though we worked hard to save him and he was
breathing when we loaded him on to the Hilo, I believe that his
death was instant. Andy had a huge impact on all the Marines
here. He was a warrior who had the right personality to talk
to junior and senior Marines alike. I thank God that Andy was
in my life and I thank Him for the rare privilege to have put
my safety in his hands. I am very serious that I don't trust
just any one but I never doubted Andy's ability. He and I went
to the same Police academy and shared many bonds but none more
then the bonds of the last 6 months. I thank you for your sacrifice.
I could not imagine the pain of losing a child and can only offer
you my constant prayer and support. I love you all for every
thing that Andy was. Without your support, Andy would not have
been able to do the wonderful things that he did. I will always
miss him and remember his sacrifice for me and those who were
around him. Thank you for allowing me to write to you and I promise
that I will come and see you as soon as I get home. May God bless
you and all your family during this very difficult time.
Sincerely,
Sgt Paul A. Shook
USMC
It is with profound grief that I report
to you the death of Lance Corporal Andrew W. Nowacki, Truck Platoon,
H&S Company, 2nd Bn, 24th Marines, United States Marine Corps.
LCpl Nowacki was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated
on his motorized patrol while he was operating as a machine gunner
in the turret of an up-armored security high mobility multi-purpose
wheeled vehicle. LCpl Nowacki was immediately secured by his
platoon mates and air-medevaced to the Combat Surgical Hospital
in Baghdad where he was pronounced dead.
LCpl Nowacki was a crushing loss for this Battalion. A crushing
loss for the fact that he had joined the ranks of our fallen
heroes, and for the impact he had on his fellow Marines. As I
attended the memorial service, I was overwhelmed by the words
spoken by his closest friends and fellow Marines during the teammate
remembrances portion of the ceremony. All of them spoke of his
unbelievable spirit. They spoke of his ability to never be down,
no matter what the circumstances. They spoke of his always smiling,
always laughing and always being the one that everyone else leaned
on when the going was rough or uncomfortable. They simply made
it clear that he was the rock upon which so many drew their strength.
Such men are the leaders around which other men find steadiness
and courage in dark times.
Now, one of the unfortunate parts of being the Battalion Commander
of over 1,100 of the World's finest warriors, is that you just
do not get the chance to know all of them in personal ways. You
know all of them by face and name, and usually some glowing characteristic
about them, but to understand them all at a deep level is just
not an option. LCpl Nowacki was just such a Marine for me. However,
on the day he achieved authorized entrance at his new post in
Heaven, something happened that I shall never forget, so long
as air fills my lungs, a song fills my heart, and thoughts of
thanks fill my head for having been so lucky and honored to have
shared the earth with such MEN as LCpl Nowacki.
To understand what it was that happened on his last day of earthly
existence, I have to paint a bit of background, so bear with
me. Now, Marines by nature are a cocky bunch; that is one of
the things that makes them run to the sound of gunfire when everyone
else is running away from it. And, part of being cocky is being "macho" in
your bearing. In my numerous travels about the AO, I am always
asking the Marines why they never wave at each other. I mean,
when we pass one of our many checkpoints, where the Marines on
duty are doing deadly work, living hard and suffering great discomfort,
I fail to understand why their fellow Marines fail to give them
a quick wave or a thumbs up. But, you should see them. As the
sentry at a checkpoint waves a patrol of vehicles through, the
ritual of "I am badder than you are" begins. Each Marine stares
the other one down through any number of brand names of ballistic
goggles and covered in pounds of armor and high tech killing
gear. As they come abreast of each other, the tolerant scorns
are exchanged and no words spoken. It is as if each one is trying
to communicate to the other via telepathy the same message: "you
wussy, you don't have it half as bad as I do." Now, when they
actually are around each other and not on some combat duty, well,
then it is high fives and hugs and banter and jokes! But, on
duty, the ritual seems rigid, inflexible and a violation of some
unwritten code if it is broken.
So, back to the day when a piece of my heart was broken and
part of my soul was crushed forever, Feb 26. The day that will
always be remembered and honored in the Smith household as the
day LCpl Nowacki departed gate 3 at FOB St. Michael, and later
that day met St. Michael face to glorious face. On this day,
we were scheduled to take the leadership of the unit that will
replace us on a tour of the Mayhem AO. Now, we have our procedures
down to a science, but as can be expected, when joining units
unfamiliar to our ways, some confusion reigns. The confusion
on this day led to some delays in our departure and a shifting
of the "timeline." Any time the "timeline" shifts, Mayhem 6 becomes
a not so nice person to be around. So, our vehicles were staged,
our Warriors armored, locked and loaded and waiting for departure.
This of course meant, the ritual of the "game face" was underway.
I was standing next to my vehicle monitoring the radios and waiting
for the final elements to fall in place when a second motorized
patrol began to make movement passed our staged vehicle\s. By
the combination of armored HMMVWs and 7 Ton trucks, I knew instantly
it was "Heavy Roller" (the tireless Marines of Truck Platoon
and Marines from H&S who move about the AO daily in support of
hundreds of tasks supporting the Battalion, and who does so with
their own skilled and self-provided security that has engaged
many a Muj with the skill and precision of any of my infantry
elements). And, at the head of the column was a Marine standing
behind his machine gun in the turret, with the largest smile
on his face you had ever seen, and waving. Waving at every one
of our vehicles that he passed at 5 mph as they followed their
ground guide to the dismount point. I watched this and knew this
was a Marine with a special heart! He was dispensing with the
ritual. He had no need for pretention, no need for "badness." He
was a Marine "comfortable in his own skin," as it were, and among
those he loved. Something struck me as I was watching this Marine
wave: he was living every day as if it might be his last, and
he did not want to leave any unfinished business. You see, when
we think of waving, we assume it is to say hello. But in this
case, he was also waving goodbye, for the Marine who struck me
on this day was Lance Corporal Andrew W. Nowacki. And hours later
he would be dead...but no doubt, born again to new life.
In eulogizing their beloved brother, LCpl Nowacki's platoon
mates reiterated the theme that he was ALWAYS the one that every
one else clung to when they were at their worst, because he was
always at his best. He was always joking, always laughing, always
smiling. He was described as "the most unprofessional professional
Marine" they had ever known. Far from being oxymoronic, to all
Marines, that is the description of the Warrior upon whom so
many have leaned on since the Corps was established. All Marines
and Veteran Marines reading this will instantly know what I am
talking about and will remember a Marine from their platoon who
had the same quality and spirit of life as LCpl Nowacki.
As this week has gone on, as all weeks do, and I thought about
how I would speak about LCpl Nowacki's death, I received news
both here and from home of several children's births. That is
always a cause for celebration. But what I really was thinking
was: I wonder; I wonder how many of these parents who have just
received the greatest gift God has to offer will teach them?
Will they teach them of the deeds of men like LCpl Nowacki? Will
they teach them that life is precious, and freedom it's greatest
gift and deepest desire of mankind? Will they teach them to be
prepared to either repel the evil doer or support those who do?
I wonder? For I know one thing, 12 times every year, from here
on out to my final rest, my wife, my daughters and I will stop
on the 12 dates that some of the finest men the planet has ever
known breathed their last, and we will say "thank you." We will
say thank you by name. We will say thank you by name and we will
light a candle. We will say thank you by name, we will light
a candle and we will pray for our fallen heroes and their familes.
Then, we will reflect on our lives. Our grand and wonderful lives
lived free, and we will remember. We will remember that no matter
how distasteful, no matter how much the mind does not want to
believe it and no matter how much the body rejects it, freedom
has a very great cost! And that that cost is borne by young Warriors
from generation to generation. We will remember, and we will
say thank you again!
So, in closing, my heart has 12 breaks and my soul 12 cuts,
and time will not heal them. God willing I will return home and
I WILL be the same man I was for my wife and my daughters, as
I believe we all will be. No, scratch that, we will be better
men for the lessons we learned from those 12 breaks and those
12 cuts. And, on the day of my death, should the Lord be willing
and I make it home, I know exactly what I am going to do when
I see Lance Corporal Andrew W. Nowacki. When I see him...I am
going to wave! I am going to wave at him and then I am going
to salute him.
LCpl Nowacki: you waved that final fateful day, and I truly
believe you were saying both hello and goodbye. So tonight, and
in this letter, on behalf of all the Mad Ghosts, upon whom you
had such an impact and have left such a hole: goodbye sweet Warrior!
May the light of Jesus surround you, may the touch of his hand
heal you and may you never know another tear, for ours flow freely
for loss of you!
May God Bless and be with the Nowacki Family in this time. The
Mad Ghosts are here for you.
May God Bless and Keep the Magnificent Families of 2/24. Mark
"For
those who,
in a dark and terrifying hour,
saw what needed to be done-
and did it."
Lynne Jonell, Bravemole
SEE ATTACHED PHOTO.
LtCol Mark A. Smith
Commanding Officer, 2nd Bn, 24th Marines
Mayhem from the Heartland
or, as the terrorists call us,
The Mad Ghosts
+Lance
Cpl. Andy Nowacki.USMC/Grand River Policeman. Son. Brother. Friend.
Unique Human Being. "Ace"
Good morning, everyone! On behalf of Andy "Ace" Nowacki I want
to welcome all of you here. What a glorious day this is!!! Andy
is happy that you all showed up because he wants to share the
secret of his happiness with all of you.
But, before he does that allow me to introduce myself to you.
I am Father Duke, Pastor of SS. Cyril and Methodius Parish in
Lakewood, Ohio. Some thirty years ago I was the Associate Pastor
of Christ the King Parish in East Cleveland, Ohio and it was
there that I officiated the wedding of Andy's parents, Dennis
and Sheila. After my tour of duty at Christ the King I was transferred
to SS. Cyril and Methodius. It was there on 18 May 1980 that
I was privileged to baptize Andrew Walter Nowacki. I had known
of Andy all these years and was kept informed about him and his
family through phone calls and letters from Aunt Marge Kukucka.
I really came to know Andy this past week shortly after his death
just outside of Baghdad. I saw his smiling face on the front
page of The Plain Dealer with two Iraqi youngster beaming his
smile right back at him. Then I received a phone call from Andy's
dad, whom I have affectionately called "Wacki" from the first
time I met him. After I stumbled through words of sympathy, Wacki
began to tell me how proud he is of his son. Then he told me
he would be honored if I could attend Andy's funeral. After I
got off the phone with him I received a phone call from Father
Fred Pausche, Pastor of St. Gabriel, informing me that Sheila
and Dennis requested that I give the homily today. I then got
back on the phone and called Wacki to meet with him and Sheila
and be introduced to their son. After driving through a blizzard
from Lakewood to Mentor I arrived at their house and we sat around
their dining room table for a few hours as they told me about
Andy. We were soon joined by Andy's brothers Pete and Nate and
some of their friends. And the remembering of Andy continued.
What a wonderful experience that was! As I drove back to Lakewood
all I could think of was: "How bless we are to have been touched
by Andy Nowacki's life!"
But who is Andy Nowacki? Andy is who he is because of the family
that he belongs to, and what a large family that is. He is who
he is because of those marvelous people he calls mom and dad,
brothers, grandma and grandpa, aunts and uncles, family and friends.
Andy's secret is simply: EVERYONE IS FAMILY - the Nowacki and
Perry families, Christ the King Parish, St. Margaret Mary Parish,
St. Gabriel Parish, Brush High School, the Grand River Police
Department and Community, the United States Marine Corps, the
Iraqi People and especially their children, and, yes, even Father
Duke and SS. Cyril and Methodius Parish.
This wonderful young man has touched more lives than even he
himself is aware of. And how did he do it? He did it by being
the kind of person that his parents, Dennis and Sheila, brought
him up to be, a compassionate and caring human being. One of
his high school friends, Andrew Moore, is more effusive in describing
Andy as: a happy, cheerful, smiling, courageous, handsome, considerate,
fun-loving, morally strong, heroic, ambitious, kind, patient
witty, hilarious, imaginative, creative, honest respectful, and
of course unique human being."
His friend, Andrew Moore, calls Andy one of the greatest people
he has ever known. He always had a smile; and what a smile it
was. "Those bright blue eyes and sinister grin were so distinct
you couldn't help but to smile back." One day Andrew Moore summoned
up the courage to ask: "Andy, what is it with you? Why are you
always so happy?" And in typical fashion he just stood there
and smiled back like he knew something that we didn’t. Then he
simply said: "There's nothing to be unhappy about!"
"There's nothing to be unhappy about!" What simple, yet profound
wisdom for one so young. Wisdom that all of us can use a smattering
of! With all the frustration, suffering, pain and even horror
that so many of us experience as we journey through life, how
can we bring ourselves to say: There's nothing to be unhappy
about? What does Andy know that we don't know? What’s his secret?
Part of that secret began to unravel for Andy almost twenty
five years ago when Sheila and Dennis had him baptized and began
to help him understand that he now belongs to a much larger family,
the Family of God that includes all human beings as his brothers
and sisters. His parents taught their children to respect everyone,
to be caring and compassionate human beings. Their children grew
up with a healthy respect not only for themselves but also for
others. They came to understand how truly blessed they are and
to understand the corresponding obligation that they have to
be a blessing to everyone they meet.
Andy comes from a truly loving Catholic, American family. Sheila
and Wacki taught Andy how to live the beatitudes of Jesus that
we all heard read to us in today's Gospel. His life is a glowing
testament of what it means to be poor in spirit, to hunger and
thirst for righteousness, to be merciful, to be a peacemaker,
and even to be persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Along
with teaching Andy to be a true follower of Jesus, his parents
taught him how to be a real American.
Andy not only heard, but also lived those awesome words of our
Founding Fathers: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that
all men are created equal and have been endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienable rights: the right to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness." Andy fully enjoyed his life, his
liberty and his pursuit of happiness. And more than that, he
shared his life, liberty and pursuit of happiness with all of
us. He even left the comfort of home to go to a foreign land
to share with its people this belief in life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness. Andy truly learned his lessons well and
that is why is a blessing to so many people today.
Anyone who knows Andy Nowacki knows that he is full of life.
That is what we celebrate today: his life, not his death. There
are countless stories of his joy of living.
Many call Andy "ACE". He gave himself this moniker when he was
a senior in high school. It happened one Friday right when he
and some friends went to the old Eastgate Coliseum to shoot pool
and to bowl a few games. As they were leaving they came across
a group of girls that a few of them knew, the guys who knew the
girls introduced the guys that the girls did not know. One of
the girls came up to Andy and said: "Hi! My name is Jessica." Andy
beamed, reached out his hand and said in some sort of cocky college
jock way: "Hey, I'm Ace from the School of Hard Knocks." All
of his buddies were stunned and then cracked up with laughter.
Nobody but Andy would go up to a stranger and get away with introducing
himself as "Ace, from the School of Hard Knocks." By the end
of senior year everyone, his teachers, the principal and the
parents, were calling him "Ace". He was everyone’s Ace.
Andy has a way of endearing himself to everyone he meets. After
he joined the Grand River police department, Police chief Robert
Antonelli tells the story of how Andy spruced up his patrol car.
He had fuzzy dice hanging from the rear view mirror, a furry
wrap around the steering wheel, and he even had smiley faces
pasted all over the back seat for the enjoyment of those he hauled
off to jail. Andy was well liked and respected by everyone on
the police force. Chief Antonelli describes Andy "as a policeman’s
policeman. He could be passionate when he had to be. If he had
to put the law down, he put the law down. He was a real peacemaker,
an ideal police officer, and he always put that smile on his
face."
His dad spoke proudly of his son, the police officer. "One day
he showed his ticket book. It was the same ticket book Grand
River issued him when he first became a cop, and there were still
tickets in it. He thought it wasn't his job to hurt people. It
was his job to educate. He rarely wrote a traffic ticket in Grand
River. When he did, it was because the person he stopped was
a real jerk. If he pulled your over and talked to you, nine out
of ten times he would just ask you to be more careful."
Chief Antonelli said it well when he said:" "We're brothers
in blue. He was family to us."
Another family for Andy is the Marine Corps. He personified
their motto: Semper Fi - always faithful. He was committed to
his work and his presence in Iraq. His heart went out to the
Iraqi people and especially to their children. His father proudly
boasts that most of the pictures he has of his son, Andy is always
surrounded by smiling children. Andy innately knew that the future
of Iraq lies in the children and that is why he so enjoyed being
with them. Andy was loved by the Iraqi people and their children.
And he was loved by the Marine Corps because he was a Marine's
Marine. Read the e-mail sent to his family from his commanding
officer.**
He not only is a blessing to his family. He is a blessing to
the Community of Grand River as one its finest police officers.
He is a blessing to our country by serving so nobly in tie Marine
Corps. And I can’t help believe that he is a blessing to the
people of Iraq, especially a blessing to the Iraqi children.
I want to stress this last point. Andy Nowacki could have stayed
out of harm's way by remaining home and enjoying the blessings
that so many of us take for granted. Andy totally believed in
what he was doing. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq
and the night before he died he told his mother that he was going
to be sent back to Iraq next year for a third tour. Sheila told
me that Andy's been in Iraq more than he's been home the last
two years. "But," she said, "he's really OK with being over there
because he saw the oppression and the cruelty that had happened
to the people there. He thought a lot of the Iraqi people and
he was willing to go back because he thought we were doing so
much good." Anyone who sees the picture of the two Iraqi boys
beaming at Andy smiling and giving the thumbs up must realize
what a blessing he is to them and a sign of hope for their future.
I pray that as these youngster grow up they will always remember
that smiling marine who gave his life so that they could have
a better life and a brighter future. There are still many of
our young men and women in Iraq who area blessing and a sign
of hope for the Iraqi people and their children. They deserve
our support and our prayers.
I hope you've notice that I have been referring to Andy in the
present tense, and not the past tense: Andy IS, not Andy WAS.
Twenty five years ago when Andy was baptized he began his journey
with Jesus. Jesus told him and He tells us: "I have come so that
you can have the fullness of life." "Anyone who believes in me,
even though he dies, will live!"
That is the promise that he was given. That is the promise he
now enjoys. This is the SECRET he now shares with us. We are
now in the fourth week of Lent. Lent began on Ash Wednesday when
our foreheads were smudged with ashes and we heard those sobering
words: "Remember, you are dust and unto dust you shall return." Lent
begins with the thought of death but ends with Easter and the
hope of resurrection, the hope of new life. We come here today
not just to mourn Andy's death. We come to celebrate his life,
not just tie life that he has shared with us, but the life that
he now shares and the life that we all look forward to, Andy
walks with the Lord now and with his grandfather, Bill, with
his uncle, Carl, and with all his friends who died before him.
So, smile, as Andy has said: "There's nothing to be unhappy about!"
One last thought: we've all heard that old spiritual, In The
Garden, with the words: "And He walks with me, and He talks with
me, and He tells me I am His own." Andy knew that Jesus walked
with him, and talked with him, and and knew that he belonged
to Him. Now Andrew Walter "Ace" Nowaki lives with Jesus forever.
From now on let's sing: ANDY walks with me, ANDY talks with me,
ANDY knows we are his own. Andy still walks with us; Andy still
talks with us; and Andy still tells us we're his own. He continues
to share his secret of happiness with us: Life is beautiful and
so are all the people we meet along the way. Life is meant to
be lived to its fullest and is to be shared joyfully with everyone
we encounter on our personal journeys. Smile and the world will
smile with you.
Andy still shares his life with us and some day we will share
it with him in all its fullness. That is why he still smiles
for us. That is the secret he wants to share with all of us.
Life is great; life is beautiful; and life is eternal! So, smile,
there's nothing to be unhappy about!!!
**I have sat here for some time and thought
about what I can possibly say to you to let you know how sorry
I am for Andy's death. I have never been one to know what to
say or how to say it but I have to, for all of us, tell you what
Andy meant to me. I picked Andy to be my gunner because of his
proficiency and abilities at that job. Andy's job was very difficult
compared to that of other gunners because he was more exposed
than most of them. I needed someone that I could trust that wouldn't
hesitate at any moment to offer the protection that we needed.
Andy was that Marine. I felt very safe having him watch over
me and I never questioned his judgment I will not be able to
cover any of the details of our mission or what we had been doing
on the day he was hit until I come home due to the security issues
we have here, but I can tell you that we were on a mission and
that our vehicle took a direct hit from a roadside bomb or IED.
I tell you with confidence that I believe with all my heart that
Andy felt nothing. Even though we worked hard to save him and
he was breathing when we loaded him on the Hilo, I believe that
his death was instant Andy had a huge impact on all the Marines
here. He was a warrior who had the right personality to talk
to junior and senior Marines alike. I thank God that Andy was
in my life and I thank Him for the rare privilege to have put
my safety in his hands. I am very serious that I don't trust
just any one but I never doubted Andy's ability. He and I went
to the same Police Academy and shared many bonds but none more
than the bonds of the last 6 months. I thank you for your sacrifice.
I could not imagine the pain of losing a child and I can only
offer you my constant prayer and support. I love you all for
everything that Andy was. Without your support, Andy would not
have been able to do all the wonderful things that he did. I
will always miss him and remember his sacrifice for me and those
who were around him. Thank you for allowing me to write to you
and I promise that I will come and see you as soon as I get home.
May God bless you and all your family during this very difficult
time.
Andy Nowacki gave his life for
his country. You can honor his memory with a gift to The Lakeland
Foundation to impact lives forever.
The family of Andy Nowacki has established the
Andy Nowacki Memorial Scholarship Fund Endowment through the
Lakeland Foundation in tribute to Andy, a US Marine Lance Cpl.
and Grand River Police Officer who heroically gave his life for
his country while protecting a convoy south of Baghdad, Iraq.
The Andy Nowacki scholarship will be awarded to students who
serve the public and who exemplify Andy’s compassion for
people, his passion for serving in law enforcement, and who,
like Andy, demonstrate a positive attitude towards achieving
worthwhile career and life goals.
The scholarship was initiated in memory of Andy, to be held in
perpetuity, by The Lakeland Foundation at Lakeland Community
College, located in Lake County- where Andy lived and worked.
Contributions to the scholarship fund may be mailed to The Lakeland
Foundation, Lakeland Community College, 7700 Clocktower Drive,
Kirtland, Ohio 44094. For more information, call 440.525.7094.
The Lakeland Foundation enhances the educational services provided
by Lakeland Community College through the solicitation and administration
of cash, securities, materials, equipment and property. From
its inception, the Foundation has focused on obtaining the financial
resources needed to assist needy students to attend Lakeland.
Funds donated to the foundation go to scholarships or for purposes
designated by donors. Scholarships are given through the Financial
Aid Office in accordance with provisions established by donors.
Over 45 named scholarship funds, as well as, general scholarship
funds are available through the Financial Aid Office. The Lakeland
Foundation was established in 1982 as a 501c3 tax exempt, nonprofit
organization. The Lakeland Foundation may accept gifts of money,
property, stock and other planned gifts.
For more information about The Lakeland Foundation, visit www.lakelandfoundation.com.
Contact: Mary Brown, Assistant Director, Lakeland
Foundation 440.525.7824 or email Mary
Brown
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