A good Man.

On Friday the kids and I were on our way to Target. (one of our favorite outings) I was driving on the frontage road getting ready to get on the interstate when I notice a group of 8 police motorcyclists riding in formation with their lights flashing. They were directly to my left on the interstate. Hummm, that's odd. I wondered... Then I saw 2 limo's driving right behind them. I thought I had it figured out so I said to the kids, who were quiet in the backseat, "Hey Maddie and Lyndon, see those police men on the motorcycles and the limo's behind them? There is someone really important in there!" I figured with that many police escorting someone along the interstate it just had to be the president of the United States or something.

So, here I am still traveling along the frontage road almost to my entrance for the interstate... still traveling beside these 2 limos. (for those of you who aren't familiar with frontage roads...they are roads that run right along side the interstate where you enter and exit the interstate.) I could then see that there was a police car blocking the entrance to the interstate so I slowed a bit deciding whether to just sit and wait it out at the entrance or keep traveling on the frontage road. I'm a product of my Dad who feels like even if you are not making up any time by continuing on...you just keep moving. So that's what I did, I kept moving, just at a slower pace than those traveling on the interstate. And that's when I realized it wasn't the President of the United States because behind the 2 limos was a hearse.

And behind the hearse was tons and tons and tons of people of motorcycles. The very last motorcycle was pulling a trailer with a statue on it. The statue was a man in uniform kneeling down with his helmet over his heart. The whole caravan ended with the American flag.

It only took me a few seconds to figure out who the precession was for. It was for Vernon Hunter. The man who died in the IRS building after it was struck by the suicide plane. I was instantly moved to tears. Just days earlier I read an article about him and how he was one of the kindest good hearted people you would ever meet. He was a strong member of his church. He use to open his home to help his neighbors and community with their taxes, free of charge. He was a loving husband and a devoted husband. It was tragic the life that was lost to such indecency.

So I felt like I should do a post honoring Vernon Hunter. And honoring his good family. When I got home from target that day I read numerous articles about him and the good life he lead. His sweet family said they forgive, Joe Stack, the man who killed him. Vernon's son said that his Dad would've actually been the person who helped Joe. But, ironically enough, Vernon was the only one who died on his suicide mission.

As I see it I was right, there was someone who was really important behind those policemen. His name was Vernon Hunter. He was a shining example of a good man. I hope people will stop looking up information on Joe Stack and start looking up information on Vernon Hunter.

He's the real story.


Photo by Ralph Barrera/Austin American-Statesman