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November 13, 2007

Fathers of missing soldiers establish a bond during weekend visit

LAWRENCE | They joked, they laughed, they cried, but most importantly, Andy Jimenez and Mick Fouty talked for hours about their sons who have been missing in Iraq for six months.

The fathers of Army Spec. Alex Jimenez, 25, of Lawrence and Pvt. Byron Fouty, 18, of Michigan spent Veterans Day weekend together marching in Methuen's Veterans Day parade, attending Mass at St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Lawrence and participating at the Veterans Day ceremonies in Lawrence.

Fouty, 51, a stained-glass artist, came to Lawrence from Michigan to meet Jimenez, 53. This is the first meeting between the two men, although they previously talked on the telephone.

Their sons, members of the 10th Mountain's 2nd Brigade, have been missing since May 12 when their unit was ambushed in a predawn raid south of Baghdad.

Four soldiers were killed in the ambush, and the body of another soldier taken in the ambush with Jimenez and Fouty was found later in the Euphrates River.

Mick Fouty said yesterday he was overwhelmed by the reception he received here.

"This is the best thing that has happened since they disappeared,'' he said. ''The love in this town for the soldiers is incredible."

At Walnut Grove cemetery in Methuen, where the Veterans Day ceremony continued, Fouty was overcome by emotion.

"Looking at the graves, I felt one of those boys could be my son or Alex," Fouty said with tears running down his cheeks. "I also cried for those interred there."

During the ceremony at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Jimenez cried when the Rev. Jorge Reyes mentioned the word ''peace'' in his homily. Jimenez and Fouty hugged as they wept.

"Crying is good for the soul and the mind," Fouty said. "It's harder for men to express their feelings and emotions, but as you get older it is OK to cry."

At Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jimenez and Fouty helped unveil a plaque at the entrance of the stadium for prisoners of war and those missing in action.

"To let us unveil the plaque together was an honor," Fouty said.

"And emotional," said Jimenez.

Fouty said that for the last six months it has been difficult for him to openly discuss how he feels about the ambush and capture of their sons. He said friends would call him, but he avoided them because he did not want to deal with the issue.

"Everything was quite shocking for me. But sometimes you have to face reality," Fouty said.

He said visiting Alex Jimenez has helped.

"I needed this. It really opened me up, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart," he said.

The fathers of the two missing soldiers talked about their sons growing up and shared pictures and other memorabilia. Fouty also showed Jimenez e-mails his son would send talking about Alex, and several photographs Byron Fouty had on his computer with Alex.

Jimenez was happy to find out the soldiers who were captured together were friends.

"In the situation they're in, it makes me feel better knowing that they are friends because they are looking out for each other," he said.

"I hated myself, everyone and God," Fouty said. "Now the hate is gone, and it's because of you guys and the people here. I'll never forget any of you, ever."

Jim Sereigo-Wareing, founder and director of New England Caring for Our Military organized Fouty's visit.

In addition to yesterday's ceremonies, Jimenez and Fouty helped make care packages, which will be sent to Iraq through New England Caring for Our Military of Methuen.

Jimenez, Fouty and Francisco Urena, director of Veterans Services in Lawrence, prepared the packages in Sereigo-Wareing's basement. They placed bags of peanuts, playing cards, socks, batteries, memo pads, pens, toiletries, disposable cameras, candy and teddy bears in the packages. Jimenez wrote a message on the back of a Fenway Park postcard, and both Jimenez and Fouty sent a note inside each care package. Jimenez's text reads, "God bless all the troops for all the things they have done for Alex and Byron. Our sons would have done the same if it had been a similar situation. God bless you and protect you and may you come home safe."

Fouty wrote: "Thank you very much for what you're doing for our country."

"This is a real honor to do something for the soldiers," Fouty said. "They are working so hard every hour and every second searching where Alex and Byron are. We want to show them we do think of them and care for them, and we will never forget them."

Fouty said coming to meet Jimenez has really changed him "like day and night."

"I was so scared. I didn't know what to expect, but everyone made me feel comfortable. It has really opened me up... I needed this, and this is all from the bottom of my heart."

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