August 10, 2020
Author: Sylvia Gutierrez
Jaguar Birthday Memorial #10
‘A Father and his Son’
Gabriel Apollo was Jaguar’s first born. Gabby picked his first name and Jaguar picked his middle name. Jag chose not to give him the name Jaguar because he said there could only be one Jaguar in the family. As his only son, Gabriel was his pride and joy. He took time to bond with him through different activities – wrestling, hiking, chess, jiu jitsu, swimming at local springs, and Gabriel’s fascination for lizards. In a house full of sisters, Gabriel was always eager for his dad to get home for ‘boy’ time. When Jaguar would deploy, he always left his son in charge of the house and his sisters. It was a job Gabriel took seriously.
A couple of weeks after Jaguar was deployed to Afghanistan, Gabby called me. In our conversation, she mentioned that Gabriel had had a dream and woke up hysterical. He kept telling Gabby that the bad guys had got his dad. He was having a meltdown and was inconsolable. Gabby, not thinking much of it, reassured him that his dad was okay, and he would get to talk to him when he called – which he did. Gabriel never said anything about it again. Jaguar’s picture now hangs on the wall of their home and Gabriel occasionally stops to stare before tearing up and walking away. He tells Gabby he’s going to be soldier just like dad – and when he does, she is not allowed to cry.
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