[Vision2020] America Supports You: Mother Writes Song for Son, All Soldiers

[Tom Hansen]

>From the American Forces News Service -

"So Brave" By Angela Lashley
http://www.tomandrodna.com/Songs/So_Brave.mp3

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America Supports You: Mother Writes Song for Son, All Soldiers
By Sgt. Mike Pryor, USA
American Forces Press Service

FORT BRAGG, N.C., Nov. 16, 2006 - When Angela Lashley first heard that her
paratrooper son, Army Pvt. Jonathan Wisniewski, was being deployed to Iraq,
she was devastated.

"I just went numb for several days," Lashley said.

But rather than be overwhelmed, Lashley, a singer-songwriter from Nashville,
Tenn., decided to channel the mixture of emotions she was feeling into a
song.

The result was "So Brave," a four-and-a-half-minute exploration of a
mother's sense of wonder at her soldier son's bravery that is now becoming
popular among military families and has even gained a fan in first lady
Laura Bush.

While the song has received a tremendous response from everyone who has
heard it, Lashley said, there was really only one critic she cared about
winning over: her son. She was initially fearful that Wisniewski, a support
specialist with the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team
currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, would be
embarrassed by the song and all the attention. But, in fact, just the
opposite happened.

"I thought I was going to be embarrassed, but in the end I was proud," said
Wisniewski, via e-mail from Iraq. "When I first heard the song, I first
thought about my family and my parents because my mom was singing, but
ultimately I became more motivated and kind of had a new sense of pride in
what I was doing over the ocean here."

Wisniweski's fellow soldiers also liked the song, he said.

"I showed a few of my buddies in my tent, and they all liked it. One of my
friends actually requested more of her music, which I thought spoke volumes
not only about her song but how talented my Ma really is," Wisniweski said.

That talent has shown itself off-and-on over the past two decades as Lashley
juggled the demands of raising a family with her goal of being a recording
artist. She said she writes songs "when inspiration hits," which means she
sometimes goes years between songs. One of her biggest previous hits was a
song she wrote during the first Persian Gulf War, also dedicated to American
soldiers.

The idea for "So Brave" came when she was in the process of trying to come
to terms with her feelings about Wisniewski's deployment, Lashley said.

"(Having a son serving the nation at war) is noble and wonderful thing, but
for a mother it's also terrifying," she said. "It's difficult to revel in
your son's bravery while you shudder at it at the same time."

As she was sorting through her feelings, she kept coming back to memories of
her son's bravery as a boy, like when he stood up for a friend against
bullies, or kept playing on the school football team despite debilitating
illness. Those memories made her realize that Jonathan had always been
brave, even before he put on an Army uniform.

When the song was finished, Lashley had CDs made up with a picture of her
and her son on the cover. The song, the CD artwork says, is dedicated to
"all American soldiers."

The song is available on a special Web site. It should be getting airtime on
the radio soon, Lashley said. For the time being, the song has spread mainly
by word-of-mouth, especially among mothers of servicemembers. The reasons
for that are obvious, Lashley said.

"Every soldier's mother who has heard the song has a comparable story," she
said.

As a result, "So Brave" has received the official endorsement of the Blue
Star Mothers of America, a patriotic group comprised of mothers of children
serving in the military. Lashley often performs the song at events sponsored
by the Blue Star Mothers.

"What a beautiful song of love from a mother to her son. I can still feel
and understand those words of hope, love, and concern for a child no longer
protected by his mom, but now out there protecting us," said Chris Peche,
president of the San Antonio chapter of Blue Star Mothers.

It was the Blue Star Mothers' endorsement that led to Mrs. Bush hearing the
song, and then subsequently asking for a personal copy, Lashley said. It
also generated publicity that led to an invitation to perform on Fox News
personality Sean Hannity's program.

But despite all the publicity, Lashley said, she would trade it all to have
her son come home safely. The song says, "If you ship out in September, will
my Christmas wish bring you home by December?" So far, Wisniewski has
assured his mom that it looks like her wish will be granted.

But Wisniewski said even when he is home safely with his family, the song
will continue to speak to anyone who is deployed.

"The song isn't just about me, but all the brave soldiers, Marines, airmen
and seamen that have to come over here and be away from their families for
extended periods of time. That's what this song is all about. We are all 'So
Brave' over here," he said.

(Army Sgt. Mike Pryor is assigned to 82nd Airborne Division, 2nd Brigade
Combat Team, Public Affairs.)

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil
and steady dedication of a lifetime." 

--Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.