Kenny Robertson

Above is one of my favorite entries from my 1988 Harding Academy Wildcat Yearbook. We had just completed the seventh grade. His full name was Kenny Robertson.

I only knew Kenny for the two years I spent at the Academy, and I spent more time with a couple other friends than I did with Kenny, but I knew Kenny was a special human being. Everybody did. He was one of the nicest people you’d ever meet, and always had a huge smile on his face.

As happens in life, my family moved and I lost touch with most of the people I met at Harding. But thanks to Mark Zuckerberg, and his time machine called Facebook, twenty years later I started reconnecting and catching up on the lives of all my friends from Harding. Just last week (Selah) I was looking through all of Kenny’s photos on Facebook and thinking to myself that I really wish I had gotten to know him better.

Turns out that Kenny joined the Marines and became a helicopter pilot. After leaving the Marines he became helicopter pilot for Air Evac, a private air ambulance / EMT service. He flew all over Arkansas, especially the rural areas, to get seriously injured people to one of the area hospitals as soon as possible. Tragically, yesterday Kenny’s helicopter crashed and he lost his life, leaving behind a wife and 3 beautiful children.

I’m reading a book right now by Max Lucado called Outlive Your Life. The premise is that we should live our lives in such a way that world would be glad we did. I can tell you personally, and you can read the comments left on his Facebook page, that Kenny certainly did just that. The world is missing a great person today, but we’re all blessed because of the impressions he left.

Legacy – Nichole Nordeman

Filed under: Friends, Legacy

Reflections of Fatherhood

So my dad hit a big milestone today—the big five-o. It’s weird to think that when we moved to Michigan in 1990 he was only a year older than I am now. That, sir, is the definition of time flying. It makes me wonder where I am in relation to where he was. I have a lot to live up to, that’s for sure. I know he doesn’t expect me to be him, or fill his rather large shoes, but the mold he left for me is one I intend to use.

It’s hard to say how proud I am to have the father I have (my mother too, but her 50th is just around the corner so she’ll get hers). The older I get, the more his legacy gets embedded into my heart. The story of his life would make the best sellers list easy. Married with a child at 17 and willing to do whatever it takes to make it work. He graduated college in 2 years with a 4.0, all the while dealing with a wife and 3 kids. Oh, and he came out debt free. Amazing doesn’t come close to describing him. A few years ago my dad was nervous just changing a light switch, but I needed someone to wire my house on the cheap, so he borrowed a few books from the library and wired my entire house, boxes and all. He passed with flying colors on the very first inspection. I could go on for days with stories just like these.

The old saying is true that you can never fully know a parents love until you have a child of your own. Ever since the birth of my son I’ve redefined my definition of love. And the more I realize the depth of that love, the more I realize that I’ve got the same thing coming right back at me.

I only hope I can be half the example for Tanner that my dad was for me. Happy Birthday dad. I love you!! May you be Forever Young.

Filed under: Dads, Fatherhood, Fathers, Legacy, Love