Gentz a true hero

Last week, I had the honor of covering Air Force 1st Lt. Joel Gentz’s funeral at St. Paul United Church of Christ in Chelsea. I say “honor” because it was truly a humbling experience to see how many people Mr. Gentz touched in his short life.

Driving through Chelsea on the way to the church, I was struck by the many signs that read “In memory of Joel Gentz. Thank you for your service,” or “God bless Joel Gentz and his family.” I was also struck by the number of Chelsea residents who took time out of their busy mornings to stand on the side of the street and wave American flags as the funeral procession drove by. It was truly a sight to behold. A stranger walking by might have thought the President of the United States was coming through Chelsea.

I hope the Gentz family took comfort knowing how much their son meant to so many people.

As I sat quietly in the back of the church, careful not to disturb any of the Gentz family and friends, I listened to how this young lieutenant selflessly put others before himself time and time again. I listened to how fellow Air Force officers (and even a colonel) looked up to him. One lieutenant talked about how some cadets jokingly considered Joel a “superhero” or a secret Pentagon robot. His comrades did their best at his funeral to paint a picture that Joel was just a regular guy with a huge heart and an incredible knack for helping others.

Though I never met the man, story after story I heard from friends, teachers and fellow servicemen painted a truly remarkable picture of someone I have always aspired to become.
Gentz’s kindness, humility, courage and determination embodies qualities we should all possess. And though I do not know Mr. Gentz, I am thankful for what he did in his life to make the lives of those around him more meaningful.

In that instance, maybe Joel Gentz was a superhero.

During the height of Hollywood actor Christopher Reeve’s fame as “Superman” during the 1970s and ’80s, someone asked him if he considers himself to be a hero, to which Reeve replied, “no.” Years later, after becoming paralyzed in a horse riding accident, he was asked the same question again. This time he replied, “I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”

Joel Gentz graduated with honors from Purdue University majoring in aeronautical and aerospace engineering. I can’t even begin to wrap my head around how challenging that must have been (I couldn't even get past college algebra the first time). He then moved on to and worked his way through the Air Force Combat Rescue Officer program, another daunting task. And every time he was faced with a challenge, he would just smile a coy smile and say, ‘Bring it on’ (according to his karate instructor Mike Poxson).

The very mission statement of the USAF Combat Rescue Officer program, "That others may live," defines what a hero is.

That makes Joel Gentz a hero to all of us.

I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to have to make the level of sacrifices military families do. I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to lose a sibling, a son or a daughter. I do know that all of us owe a tremendous amount of debt to our military families and servicemen and women –– one that may never be fully repaid.

As a small token of our appreciation for all servicemen and women, Heritage Newspapers has launched an online blog, http://greetingthetroops.blogspot.com, where readers can leave messages of thanks for members of the military serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, overseas and across the country. The blog can also be accessed through the Chelsea Standard and Dexter Leader’s blog, http://chelseanewsroom.blogspot.com.

To the Gentz family and all military families, thank you for the sacrifices you make to keep the rest of us safe.God bless Joel Gentz.