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Thursday
March 18, 2010 Since 1922 |
Beach City honors brothers for service
By Barrett Goldsmith
Baytown Sun Published September 4, 2007 BEACH CITY — Brandon and Brian Pearson were looking forward to a Labor Day party with friends and family Monday afternoon. What they got was a celebration in their honor and a proclamation by Beach City Mayor Guido Persiani, declaring them heroes of the town where both grew up.
Brandon, 29, will ship out to Iraq later this month for his third tour of overseas duty. He was previously stationed in Afghanistan and Kuwait as a Hospital Corpsman with he U.S. Navy. He is now a second lieutenant with the U.S. Marines, most recently stationed in Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Brian, 27, was a Navy Hospital Corpsman for five years, before he was injured in September of 2006. He was operating a mobile machine gun when his driver lost communication and crashed into a wall, crushing Brian’s hand between the wall and the gun. He has had three surgeries on his hand and one on his shoulder.
“I had never met these boys before today, but I’m proud to know them and proud to call them heroes,” Persiani said. “They carry on the Beach City spirit in the most admirable way – service to our country.”
Both Pearsons grew up in Beach City and graduated from Barbers Hill High School. They’re parents, Rufus “Scott” and Terry Pearson, swell with pride when they talk about their boys.
“It’s really hard when they are overseas,” Terry said in a tearful whisper after the ceremony. “I just pray hard every night and hope for the best. They have integrity, courage, patriotism, dignity – how we ever instilled that in them, I don’t know.”
Brandon’s wife, Raquel, said she doesn’t think about what might happen. She knows her husband has a job to do, a job he is very good at. So she makes sure all is well with Alexa, 6, and Korbin, 3, and spends as much time with Brandon as she can.
“He loves what he does, and I support him,” Raquel said. “I can’t control anything over there, so I take care of what I can control here and pray for the best.”
For Danielle, Brian’s wife of three years, the goodbyes were tough. She and Brian both knew he would be unable to see the birth of their son, Landon, now six and a half months old, while he was in Iraq. But Brian’s injury allowed him to return home and see Landon.
“Every time he left, it was heartbreaking,” Danielle said. “It was always very emotional. I worried all the time.”
Brian, accepting a plaque from Persiani, thanked his friends and family for the support he received. Because of his injuries, Brian can’t raise his left arm above his shoulder, or close his left fist without feeling a severe cramp.
“It’s really humbling when you go over to Iraq and see how they live,” Brian said. “It really makes you appreciate the life you have. In fact, it just makes you appreciate life.”
Brandon said words can’t describe his elation at the support he has received from friends and family or his pride at being honored by the city he has so long called home.
“As humans, we don’t live forever,” Brandon said. “But the idea of freedom will live forever. By defending that and fighting for that idea, I believe I will live forever. There’s no greater honor for me than serving or commanding troops in battle.”
Baytown Sun Published September 4, 2007 BEACH CITY — Brandon and Brian Pearson were looking forward to a Labor Day party with friends and family Monday afternoon. What they got was a celebration in their honor and a proclamation by Beach City Mayor Guido Persiani, declaring them heroes of the town where both grew up.
Brandon, 29, will ship out to Iraq later this month for his third tour of overseas duty. He was previously stationed in Afghanistan and Kuwait as a Hospital Corpsman with he U.S. Navy. He is now a second lieutenant with the U.S. Marines, most recently stationed in Camp Lejeune, N.C.
Brian, 27, was a Navy Hospital Corpsman for five years, before he was injured in September of 2006. He was operating a mobile machine gun when his driver lost communication and crashed into a wall, crushing Brian’s hand between the wall and the gun. He has had three surgeries on his hand and one on his shoulder.
“I had never met these boys before today, but I’m proud to know them and proud to call them heroes,” Persiani said. “They carry on the Beach City spirit in the most admirable way – service to our country.”
Both Pearsons grew up in Beach City and graduated from Barbers Hill High School. They’re parents, Rufus “Scott” and Terry Pearson, swell with pride when they talk about their boys.
“It’s really hard when they are overseas,” Terry said in a tearful whisper after the ceremony. “I just pray hard every night and hope for the best. They have integrity, courage, patriotism, dignity – how we ever instilled that in them, I don’t know.”
Brandon’s wife, Raquel, said she doesn’t think about what might happen. She knows her husband has a job to do, a job he is very good at. So she makes sure all is well with Alexa, 6, and Korbin, 3, and spends as much time with Brandon as she can.
“He loves what he does, and I support him,” Raquel said. “I can’t control anything over there, so I take care of what I can control here and pray for the best.”
For Danielle, Brian’s wife of three years, the goodbyes were tough. She and Brian both knew he would be unable to see the birth of their son, Landon, now six and a half months old, while he was in Iraq. But Brian’s injury allowed him to return home and see Landon.
“Every time he left, it was heartbreaking,” Danielle said. “It was always very emotional. I worried all the time.”
Brian, accepting a plaque from Persiani, thanked his friends and family for the support he received. Because of his injuries, Brian can’t raise his left arm above his shoulder, or close his left fist without feeling a severe cramp.
“It’s really humbling when you go over to Iraq and see how they live,” Brian said. “It really makes you appreciate the life you have. In fact, it just makes you appreciate life.”
Brandon said words can’t describe his elation at the support he has received from friends and family or his pride at being honored by the city he has so long called home.
“As humans, we don’t live forever,” Brandon said. “But the idea of freedom will live forever. By defending that and fighting for that idea, I believe I will live forever. There’s no greater honor for me than serving or commanding troops in battle.”