If You Save One Life…. You Save The World

My eyes are filled with tears – my heart is bursting with pride as I think about that indelible image. It symbolizes everything. The C17 military plane was filled to the brim with over 600 Afghan refugees desperate to leave Kabul. What did the crew do? They exemplified all that is good about America by proceeding with the flight bringing everyone to freedom.

There are so many other heartfelt scenes I will never forget – service members comforting the children by playing games with them, giving out food and water, gently putting a hand on a young girl’s head to reassure her and standing on each side of an elderly woman assisting her onboard the plane.

I want to express my deepest gratitude and respect to each and every one of you – the thousands of American service members who have been working around the clock in Afghanistan under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions. I also want to acknowledge all those behind the scenes supporting this life-saving mission.

The thousands of people who are trying to flee Afghanistan – the families, men, women, children, the elderly – are terrified and exhausted, overwhelmed with despair, uncertainty and helplessness. They are lost – my heart breaks for them.

But you have given them hope. Over 100,000 people have been evacuated in the past two weeks. Your Herculean efforts to save them are awe-inspiring and remind everyone of the humanity, beauty and goodness in the world. You are the best of America – what makes it truly special.

Your empathy, compassion, professionalism, deep commitment, sensitivity and kindness also honor in a very special and meaningful way all those who fought, those who were wounded and those who died in Afghanistan over the last 20 years and their families.

I want to especially remember with great love the amazing and brave heroes who lost their lives during Thursday’s horrific terrorist attack and their Gold Star families, as well as those who were injured and are recovering and their families. I wish everyone much strength and healing during these very dark and difficult days.

The Talmud says “If you save one life, you save the world.” Thank you from the bottom of my heart! God Bless You and your families as you continue on with this important mission, despite what I’m sure are heavy hearts.

I would love to encourage everyone to reach out (via social media) to our American service members in Afghanistan with heartfelt messages of gratitude and support. I’m sure it would mean a lot to them. Be creative – they can be videos, written greetings, signs, artwork – get the whole family involved to lift their spirits.