Mark Forester

Written by Chase

This post is breaking from our normal updates about the Layton household. In fact, we have held off on the normal updates and our trip to China post until a week or two from now. We didn't feel we could do any of that until we had properly expressed our feelings about the passing of one of our dearest college friends. Mark Forester was killed in combat in Afghanistan on September 29. He was a Senior Airman and Combat Controller, which is considered Air Force special forces.

On the night of Sept. 29, Kristin was out, and Cade and I were home alone. I had put him to bed, and I was in our room watching TV when Kristin came home. Kim (Kristin's sister) had called Kristin while she was at the store, and she immediately came home and delivered the bad news. When Kristin came into our room from being out, she gave me the bad news while crying. To be quite honest, I had a feeling for a couple weeks that this was coming. On Sept 11th, I heard a public service announcement come on the radio that suggested contacting and sending packages to our troops overseas. I felt it was a great idea, and so I decided to do that for Mark, since he is the only close friend I have that was currently serving actively. I have always been extremely proud of Mark for deciding to serve, and I always wanted to express that to him, but being a guy, expressing feelings seems to be hard I guess. Although I told him several times I was proud and grateful for his service, I never really felt he understood HOW grateful I was. So upon hearing the PSA on the radio, I decided this would be a great time to do that by sending a small package and a letter expressing those feelings. So I got on Facebook that day and Mark just so happened to be on at the same time. I needed his address, so I asked him for it. Here is the conversation that followed:

Mark: I'm still in Afghanistan. You wanting my address over here? How are things buddy?

Chase: Yeah what is your address over there. Things are good here. Big football matchups today so I am parked on the couch.

Mark: (Gives address) I'm pissed I don't get to watch hardly any football over here. I'm gonna try to watch some bright and early my time, which means it will be evening ya'lls time. hopefully I can catch the last part of the Bama game.

Chase: Yeah should be good. So if I wanted to send a package to that address, would it get there? You gonna be there awhile?

Mark: It's funny you ask. I was supposed to go home in November, the exact date I'm not sure. But literally 5 minutes ago, I got a message saying I may need to extend for 3 months, so I have no clue. Not sure how many bullets I can dodge, so I may be home much quicker, haha. Yeah, packages get here. We have to have helo's bring them to us, so sometimes it takes a while. Thanks tho buddy.

Chase: Cool. Well you better stay safe.

In Mark's last message to me, it is hard to explain, but I had an impression that something would happen to him. It was more than just a thought or worry. So going back to when Kristin broke the news that night, the first thing that came into my mind was an uneasy, "I knew it". I consider it little tiny miracles that lead me to have that last conversation with my dear friend. Even though he did not receive my package, he at least knew that we were thinking of him back home, and were grateful for what he was doing. I hope it brought a little comfort to him.

We met Mark quickly after moving to Tuscaloosa, but it was when our friend Michael put together an intramural flag football team that we really started to get to know him, as well as many other friends, much better. We will always be grateful for how that team started so many strong friendships. Kristin told me a story recently about something Mark had said to her room mate Debbie soon after we arrived to Tuscaloosa. Kristin and I were dating at the time and just broke up (which only lasted for the semester). Mark noticed us not sitting together at church and asked Debbie if we had broken up. When she told him that we had, he said something along the lines of "Aw, thats too bad". Contrary to what Debbie thought he was going to say next, he paused, and said, "I bet he needs a friend, maybe I should hang out with him." And he did. For the next 4 years. Mark was a great friend to me and to Kristin.

The last time we were able to spend time with Mark was at the beginning of 2010. His brother was flying into town in Huntsville, and we coordinated with him to come up early to visit before he had to pick him up. This was his first time to see Cade in person. It didn't take long for Cade to be comfortable around him, and before you knew it they were throwing a ball back and forth. We hung out at our house and then went out to eat at BridgeStreet in Huntsville since it was on the way to the airport. We are grateful we had that opportunity.

I just want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Mark's family, and to the rest of our armed forces who put their lives on the line daily for me and my family. I think with being so advanced technologically, and the way that we fight wars now, that we as Americans can easily forget what is really going on out there. We sit here safe in our homes with somewhat little cares, and seem to forget about those out there fighting for us to enjoy that safety and freedom. I feel truly blessed to have had a friend in Mark through college and beyond. He was and still is an example to me. We had so many great times together, whether it was playing video games, sports, working out, practicing to try-out for Alabama's football team as punters, or just hanging out at each others houses. He is a hero to me and my family, and we will always remember him. I cannot wait to see him again on the other side.

Here are a few pictures of his funeral services that our friend Michael took. If you haven't already, I suggest you visit his website to see a more detailed post of the services, and a ton of great pictures.

Here are two direct links. One for his tribute to Mark: http://www.michaelthemaven.com/?postID=1586&tribute-to-an-american-hero-mark-forester. The other is his post about the funeral services: http://www.michaelthemaven.com/?postID1597&mark-forester-air-force-burial.

This was a sight to see. We showed up right as it started at 2:00 and it was standing room only and we were in the doorway shown in the far corner of the gym. The placed was packed.



It was very touching upon arriving to Haleyville to see every single sign in town stating something about Mark. And then after the funeral we were moved even more by the vast amounts of people standing alongside the road that the procession was taking to stand with their flags to show support and love.

These signs were up EVERYWHERE. From local businesses to people's yards, there were hundreds of them.

Mark received full military honors for his burial. I was really proud to see how our country takes care of their own, especially when paying the ultimate sacrifice. I held it together fairly well up until the flyover. Four F-16's were in formation to fly over us, and then right as they came over our location, one broke off formation and went straight upward. My guess was that it was to signify a team-mate leaving and ascending up heavenward. The remaining 3 jets continued on, still in their perfect formation but now missing a man.

Here are some older pictures we dug up. We hope you enjoy them. The first two were taken in Mobile when we were down for Daylyn and Jill's wedding reception. Kristin and I were freshmen in college, so this was taken in the fall of 2004.

Intramural basketball. I want to say this was in 2007. We played against Tyrone Prothro's team and got spanked. It was a good time though, and we were all excited to get this picture with him.

This was at our wedding reception. Mark actually caught Kristin's garter.

He was quite pleased as you can see.

I love this picture.

Typical Mark. He probably wore that for the next couple of months. He told us that he had it hanging on his bed post for a while.

We love Mark and will miss him dearly. We cannot wait until we get to be with him again on the other side. Until then brother...