Bush consoles families of fallen

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Nov. 25, 2003
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Bush consoles families of fallen

'It came from his heart', widow says



By JOHN DIEDRICH THE GAZETTE

President Bush gave hugs and kisses, shook the hands of children and at one point cried Monday as he consoled the families of Fort Carson soldiers killed in Iraq.

Bush spent nearly two hours - a hour more than scheduled - privately comforting nearly 100 family members in three rooms at a helicopter hangar, decorated with couches, televisions, tables and chairs, according to people who were there.

"It came from his heart, and you could tell it meant a lot to him and that means a lot to me," said Melissa Latham, whose husband, Staff Sgt. William Latham, died June 18 from injuries he suffered in Iraq in May.

The president came into each room and told everyone how sorry he was for their loss.

He then met with each family individually.

Latham, who took her three children - Patricia, 10, Travis, 9, and Jeremy, 6 - delivered a message from William's father.

"He wanted me to say he is behind (Bush) and get it done right the first time and not have our kids have to go over and finish what dads are trying to do," said Melissa Latham, who told the president she felt the same way.

Sally and Chuck Taylor's son, Staff Sgt. Michael Quinn, was killed May 27 in a checkpoint shootout.

Sally Taylor said Bush took time with each family, giving them his entire attention.

"The empathy that he showed, the time he took, the rapport he had with brand-new babies. This man is incredible," she said.

Taylor said she watched as Bush spent a long time with one woman whose husband was killed recently and her children.

Taylor likened it to a prayer circle.

"He reached, and he touched all the lives in there," she said.

"It made me feel not so out there in left field like a statistic. . . . I found it very helpful."

Melissa Givens, whose husband, Pfc. Jesse Givens, was killed May 1, told Bush she still supports the war and that her husband believed everyone should have freedom.

"I hope you believe that, too," Bush told her.

"I do," Givens said.

Givens' 6-year-old son, Dakota, didn't believe Bush was real at first and even joked about wanting to pull on the president's ear to see.

"I told him if you pull on his ear, we'll get arrested," Givens said.

Bush assured Dakota he was real and really the president.

Givens said she tried to hold back the tears, but they came anyway.

"I hugged him, and I kept crying so he kept hugging me," she said.

"He told us how sorry he was and he had tears in his eyes."