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If you know Gig Line, you know me and how I always have a lot to say in this column. But I would be remiss if I failed to take the opportunity first to thank all the wonderful people, both local and out of state, who have shown their sincere interest, care and support physically, financially and emotionally to my son Bill, and my grandchildren Ben and Elizabeth “Bay” Brown following the fire at their residence in Wanchese on January 3 of this year. You all have called, texted, emailed and/or you went to their residence immediately to help remove and bag clothing and salvageable items from the house once the fire was extinguished. Your concern and assistance in countless ways helped so much more than you will ever know … God bless you and thank you for those who reached out to offer your help and your prayers since that horrible day.

To Glenn and Brenda Paul of GranPlan Construction and their entire team who organized; assisted in cooking and preparing the food and takeout plates; greeted those who came to show support and delegated an incredible first-class fundraiser on Saturday, January 18 – THANK YOU for being the blessing that you all are! As I said last week, they are all “angels among us.”

Every time I see anything on Facebook about a veteran, I stop what I am doing and read or listen to the story. Sometimes the information is written about a veteran who recently passed acknowledging their life and service; and about the devout soldier, sailor, airman or Marine they were. Sometimes a poem is included or a special tribute and a picture of him or her in their uniform and many times of late in their wheelchair, or with family and friends celebrating their birthday or Christmas from their hospital bed … regardless, it is always a touching remembrance of someone who loved our country and fought to defend it, and all of us.

Lately one of the submissions was about a 72-year-old U.S. Marine – Vietnam veteran who had been missing for several weeks and as sad as it was, there was a definitive discovery of the hero gentleman. He was found in his vehicle submerged under water. Watching this account of a veteran who had been through so much in his life made me want to watch the story through to the end and I was sad when the discovery was made but pleased that his family and friends could find closure. The professional group that looks for a missing family member or cold case is known as “Adventures With Purpose.”

In reading I came to realize that once this band of friends is beckoned by a family member to aid in a search, they investigate whatever information they can gather; they become familiar with testimonies of people who last saw the individual; they learn their habits; the type of vehicle they might have driven last; their license plate number, and when and where they were last seen. The dive team are driven to find the answer for the families still searching while not knowing why their precious spouse, child, brother, sister or parent never returned home. Could they have accidently driven off the road into a body of water on a stormy night? Was it an intentional act? Was there something sinister about their disappearance?

The gentleman host and team member offer full details as to the equipment they use to detect vehicles below the surface and that since 2019 they had solved 16 cold cases using their sonar, cameras and other equipment. They are a dive team and what I really liked about them and their “purpose” is that they keep every aspect of their dives professional while cognizant of the feelings of the families trying to find answers. And so, importantly, Adventures With Purpose does not charge for their services! In fact, they operate their business based on two things: donations and the sale of a $24.95 item that the hosts narrating the segment stress the lifesaving value of – a 2-in-1 emergency window breaker and seatbelt cutter.

In some cases, the person they are searching for may have been missing 30 years or for as little as a couple of weeks. Once they locate the vehicle, they dive to ascertain the vehicle description and the number on the license plate to verify before attempting to retrieve the vehicle from the watery grave. If the windows are busted out or rolled up to the top, it can influence as to how the operation is directed from that point forward per the local law enforcement. Considering the status of the windows and if the vehicle appears to contain a body or bodies, its usually considered a crime scene and with the assistance of and at the direction of law enforcement, the vehicle is secured with cables, then brought to shore whereby a weighted tarp secures the interior from public view purely out of respect to the victim and their family.

In the case of this particular documentary and the senior veteran they located, the host asks that we show respect to our servicemembers for their sacrifice to our country; further he stresses how much we owe our veterans and how much we need to embrace and love them; he referenced the feelings many veterans experienced once discharged and that we should all think about how we can help them reacclimate to civilian life again. Now, having watched numerous stories of the dive team searches and findings of those who never came home, I have witnessed the divers’ personal emotions when they realize a body is still in the vehicle … they positively feel the pain of the family’s loss and relief that they can now provide their loved one with a final burial or cremation. Often, the families who had requested the team to help them find closure are on site they stand off to the side and cry mournful tears of loss and then, sometimes, the segments are just plain hard to watch.

Lastly, if you would like to see the way these guys operate these search and their recovery assignments, check them out at adventureswithpurpose.com. If you know a friend or family member who has never been able to locate someone they loved, perhaps these guys could help. It goes without saying that life is precious, and not to be taken for granted. Also think about the device they offer for sale that allows everyone a better chance for survival should an accident occur in a body of water. Purchasing one for each vehicle is not a bad idea.

Thank you, Lord, for the people who have helped my son and grandchildren; thank you for those who came to the aid of Hurricane Helene survivors and the wildfires in California. Thank you to all the people who care about others and put those who have lost so much. Pray with me that good people who share, care and sacrifice for others are richly blessed in their health, safety and happiness.

If you are a veteran and have questions, concerns, interest in your potential V.A. claim for disability compensation, or need a replacement DD-214, please contact our Dare County veteran service officer (V.S.O.) Patty O’Sullivan, office: 252-475-5604, cell/text: 252-473-7749 and email: patricia.o’sullivan@darenc.gov. If you would like to contact me, please do – cell/text: 252-202-2058 and email: giglineheroes@aol.com. I love you all … I truly do. Take care, love each other, and especially love yourself! God bless you and those who make you smile. Stay tuned!

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