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00:00Welcome to Operation Healing Heroes. Join us in historic Music City, USA, Nashville,
00:07Tennessee, as we honor an American hero and his Gold Star family. They served for us.
00:15They sacrificed for us. Their stories deserve to be told.
00:25Every military veteran has a story to tell. Join our host, Jay Garstecki, as we honor the stories of our true American heroes, one soldier at a time.
00:41The mission today is Operation Healing Heroes. Brought to you by Great Clips.
00:55Nashville, Tennessee is also known as Music City, USA, for a reason.
01:03It's here where so many songs that we all know and love are born.
01:10You see, in Nashville, it all starts with a song.
01:15Hey, guys. Welcome to Nashville. Nice to meet you.
01:17Nice to meet you. Hi, Jay. Nice to meet you. I hug.
01:19I hug her, too.
01:21Well, I can't wait to share Etienne's story.
01:23Yes.
01:24And thank you for doing this with us. We certainly appreciate it.
01:25Thank you. Thank you for having us.
01:27Come on, have a seat. Let's get started.
01:29The reason we chose Nashville, Tennessee to be able to honor Etienne is because I think having the ability to write a song about your son, it's something more than just talking about it.
01:42You're able to create a song that you're going to be able to take with you forever.
01:46Yes.
01:47Right? And share it with others and other Gold Star families and your other sons, right?
01:51That's correct.
01:52So to me, it was important for us to be able to not just honor and dignify Etienne, but to make something that's going to last forever.
02:01It gives my son life, and that's all the moms want.
02:05That's right.
02:06We want our children to still be out there.
02:08We want them to be remembered.
02:10We want people to say their names.
02:12We want to hear their names.
02:14It doesn't make us sad.
02:15We may cry because we hurt, but it warms our hearts when people say our children's names or say, tell me about your son.
02:22Oh, my gosh.
02:23Do you have a whole week?
02:25How much time do you have?
02:26Exactly.
02:27You might want to pull up a chair for this one.
02:29Yes.
02:30That's right.
02:31That's amen.
02:32We're proud, Mama, still.
02:33Good.
02:34We're still proud.
02:35And you should be.
02:36Yes.
02:37You should be proud.
02:38Yes, I'm very proud.
02:39Very.
02:40So through Operation Song, they're going to connect you with a couple of world-class songwriters and artists so that you can write a song in honor of Etienne.
02:48That is amazing.
02:49I am so excited.
02:50I could barely sleep last night.
02:52When I found out about this, I'm like, let's go.
02:55I was a little nervous, but I put my faith in you, and I put my faith in the songwriters, and I'm just going to tell them about Etienne.
03:03Sure.
03:04And I do believe that they are going to do justice.
03:07I do believe that.
03:08So I'm looking forward to that.
03:09Good.
03:10Yes, I'm excited.
03:11I can't wait.
03:12I can't either.
03:13We're excited to be down here on Music Row partnering with Operation Song to honor your son and his legacy.
03:19We've got two world-class songwriters.
03:21Here they come right now.
03:22Operation Song connected us with two world-class songwriters and vocalists in Kelly Johnson and Jessie G.
03:31That knock on the door is the worst knock that I have ever received in my life.
03:38And it was a lot going on then.
03:43You don't really know what's going on.
03:44You're in a daze, and you're like, no, this can't be real.
03:47You're all, your mind is just gone.
03:50I hear people, but I don't hear them.
03:52I see, but I don't see.
03:53They whisk you off.
03:55We were whisked off for a four-hour drive.
03:57It was horrible.
03:58Then from there we go to Dover.
04:00They do a dignified transfer where he comes from Syria or whatever.
04:05And they sit you out on the tarmac out there on the runway.
04:09And I wasn't told what was happening.
04:11They just said, he's coming back home.
04:13And behind me, there's a coroner van and an ambulance.
04:17No parent wants to see that.
04:20I didn't want to see a coroner van because I believed that they were wrong.
04:26And I said, God, please, let my son sit up in that casket.
04:31If this is real, on his way here, let him sit up in that casket because I can't do this.
04:37He did it.
04:39Operation Healing Heroes is brought to you by Great Clips, Northern Clearing, and by Enbridge.
04:57Operation Healing Heroes is a nonprofit organization dedicated to documenting the lives of our U.S. military veterans.
05:04In addition, we also provide financial support and treatment for post-traumatic stress.
05:09Your donation will help heal our heroes.
05:13So I understand he was a very smart young man.
05:19He became a ranger at the age of 19 years old.
05:22Yes, he went right from boot camp to infantry, from infantry to ranger school.
05:29He knew what he wanted to do.
05:31There was nothing that could stop him.
05:33He wouldn't let anything stop him.
05:34He just went full force and succeeded.
05:37Yeah, I'm very proud of my son and everything that he's accomplished in his life.
05:43To me, it's like, you know, it's like your boy going pro football, making it to the, you know, the major leagues.
05:52And then, you know, five days later, you get the knock on the door.
05:58When he did leave, I remember that last hug.
06:14Oh, my God.
06:15And Savannah.
06:16And now I just, I feel like I didn't hug him long enough.
06:19I just assumed that.
06:21No pyramid should see that we were supposed to go before them.
06:28So I almost died.
06:30There I did.
06:31I thought I was going to die.
06:33I passed out.
06:34And now when I woke up, I had to face reality.
06:38There's no way that this could happen to my son.
06:41He's a ranger.
06:42He's a special forces.
06:44He's a beast.
06:45And I just said, Lord, what are you doing?
06:48I said, maybe if I tell God I hate him, that he will kill me right now.
06:53Because I don't want to see that casket coming out.
06:55And I did.
06:56I said, God, I hate you.
06:57I'm sitting there waiting, waiting for my breath to stop.
07:00You know, I'm just waiting.
07:02And I made it all the way to the airport.
07:04And I said, I'm sorry, God.
07:06I had to repent.
07:07Thank God he understood.
07:09You know, I wrote a letter to heaven.
07:11I wanted to say that.
07:12Oh, my God.
07:13I did.
07:14I wrote a letter to heaven.
07:15I wrote a letter to heaven.
07:16I said, dear heaven, this is to the widow who lost her child.
07:18I asked him to please go to God.
07:19And I asked him to let the son come home.
07:20I forgot to tell you that I did.
07:21I wrote it.
07:22I wrote a letter to heaven.
07:23I wrote a letter to heaven.
07:24I wrote a letter to heaven.
07:25My God, are you listening?
07:26I keep on saying sorry.
07:28Or something like, you know.
07:30I wrote a letter to heaven.
07:31My God, are you listening?
07:33My God, are you listening?
07:34I keep on saying sorry.
07:38Or something like, you know.
07:40I wrote a letter to heaven.
07:41My God, are you listening?
07:42Because all I feel is hopeless.
07:44Then something, something, something.
07:46If there's rest for the weary, why is my heart so heavy?
07:50My God, can you hear me now?
07:52My God, are you listening?
08:00After an emotional three hours, the song was nearly complete.
08:05We might could do like, um.
08:07Didn't want to wake up today.
08:10Didn't want to climb that mountain.
08:13This battle's too hard to face.
08:16Now my soul is downing.
08:19I dread the sunrise.
08:22I feel the day without Him.
08:25My God, can you hear me now?
08:31I wrote a letter to heaven.
08:35My God, are you listening?
08:38Because all I feel is hopeless.
08:41All my hope and joy are missing.
08:44If there is rest for the weary, why is my heart so heavy?
08:48My God, can you hear me now?
08:53My God, can you hear me now?
08:55Thank you so much.
09:11It's so good.
09:12It's so good.
09:13It's so good.
09:14It's so good.
09:16Operation Healing Heroes is brought to you by Great Clips, the Al Lynch Foundation, and by Lumberjack Lodge.
09:30do you want to sing that first verse jesse into the chorus and then we'll go into that second
09:38verse and then just see kind of where it leads maybe for bridge because we had like just so
09:43much good stuff there like you said people always say i'm sorry yes if you'd like to see more behind
09:49the scenes footage follow us on social media and subscribe to our youtube channel if you're a u.s
09:55military veteran in illinois wisconsin michigan minnesota or beautiful sunny florida log on to
10:02our website takeavetfishing.org to find an event near you
10:06through the heartfelt songwriting of kelly johnson and jesse g the memory of army ranger etienne
10:19murphy was given life you're family now whether you like it or not i'm so sorry but you're all
10:26stuck with me i know where to find you you can't hide oh my god thank you and when you see me crying
10:34i'm not sad it's just tears of joy because i hear my i hear my etienne coming alive you know you're
10:42giving them life and thank you thank you this is so beautiful how do you ladies feel about um
10:50taking a break and maybe finishing it around the campfire tonight yes that would be awesome
10:55yes as the sun goes down on nashville tennessee giving way to the neon lights of broadway
11:03the healing power of music continues to fill the air
11:08did you need a soldier because i know there's a reason you take the good ones first
11:19but now we're left here grieving and i'll heal enough for helping but never to forget him i'll use my pain
11:30as a weapon now i wrote a letter to heaven jesus are you listening
11:41all i feel is hopeless all my peace and joy i'm missing if there's rest for the weary
11:51why is my heart so heavy my god can you hear me now
12:01people don't know what to say i hear i'm sorry every day
12:17so i carry him with me
12:22a grieving mother in pain making room for the next wave
12:30cause rangers lead the way
12:35i wrote a letter to heaven jesus are you listening
12:46listening
12:47cause all i feel is hopeless all my peace and joy i'm missing is there rest for the weary
12:56why is my heart so heavy my god can you hear me now my god can you hear me jesus can you hear me my god can you hear me
13:11jesus can you hear me my god can you hear me now
13:21i just love you
13:22it's beautiful
13:26thank you
13:27that's beautiful
13:28that's beautiful
13:30he would have a fit if he saw me in his pants
13:37he would have a fit he would not want me to oh my gosh mom please take that off
13:43he would oh god have a song
13:47etienne has a song
13:49etienne has a song
13:50oh jesus
13:52etienne has a song
13:54all because of you too
13:55god
13:56and i'm so grateful
13:57operation song empowers veterans active duty military members and their families to tell their stories through the process of songwriting operation song bringing them back one song at a time
14:18if you'd like to personally thank a veteran that you've seen in one of our episodes or nominate a veteran to be featured in a future episode log on to our website operation healing heroes dot org
14:31operation healing heroes is brought to you by fasten all aqua view cameras and by temple bay lodge
14:46so there's no appropriate way for me to be able to honor etienne i've never met him but just knowing you i feel like i've known him but i do want to say thank you both for taking the time to share etienne's story with us and yes uh and and we certainly appreciate you both of you but uh we've got a little something for you here um you've done enough no this is for you
15:13jay you've done enough
15:20oh
15:24this is a beautiful box getting fancy this is very fancy thank you so much jerry oh i'm scared to open it
15:30oh my god
15:41it's a heart with a music charm in the middle and it's got etienne's name out there
15:47and that's oh that is so nice from our family to yours to just recognize etienne and oh i love it
15:58i know we can't bring him back but we want to make sure that we honor his memory
16:02so we ended up getting you uh your own uh oh my god
16:08what is that that is uh
16:09that is uh
16:10etienne's name on the front
16:11oh oh my oh that's a pro that's a pro fishing jersey jersey that that's me
16:19that's beautiful that is so nice
16:24thank you jay thank you
16:27can i hug you absolutely wouldn't have it any other way
16:34thank you oh yeah this is nice look at that
16:41thank you man appreciate it
16:43oh my god
16:44finally after an emotional couple of days we're off to the recording studio to record the song written
16:50to honor the memory of u.s army ranger etienne murphy
17:05didn't want to wake up today
17:09didn't want to climb that mountain
17:12this battle's too hard to face
17:15and now my soul is doubting
17:19i dread the sunrise
17:21another day without him
17:24my god can you hear me now
17:30i wrote a letter to heaven
17:34jesus are you listening
17:37cause all i feel is hopeless
17:40my peace and joy are missing
17:43if there's rest for the weary
17:46why is my heart so heavy
17:49my god can you hear me now
17:54did you need a soldier
18:11cause i know there's a reason
18:15i don't want to take the good ones
18:17i can't make the good ones
18:18but now we're left here grieving
18:20i'll heal enough for helping
18:23but never to forget him
18:26I use my pain as a weapon now
18:31I wrote a letter to heaven
18:36Jesus, are you listening?
18:39Cause all I feel is hopeless
18:42My peace and joy I'm missing
18:45If there's rest for the weary
18:48Why is my heart so heavy?
18:51My God, can you hear me now?
19:06People don't know what to say
19:09I hear I'm sorry every day
19:13So I'll carry him away from me
19:18A grieving mother in pain
19:22Making room for the next way
19:25Cause rangers lead the way
19:30I wrote a letter to heaven
19:35Jesus, are you listening?
19:39Cause all I feel is hopeless
19:41My peace and joy I'm missing
19:44If there's rest for the weary
19:47Why is my heart so heavy?
19:51My God, can you hear me now?
19:57My God, can you hear me?
20:01Jesus, can you hear me?
20:03My God, can you hear me now?
20:09Etienne, I love and miss you
20:11I'm so very proud of you
20:13And I will do my best every day
20:15To ensure that you are always honored
20:18And remembered
20:19Please come home, my baby boy
20:21Oh, my broken heart
20:23Please help me, God
20:25If you'd like to personally thank a veteran
20:33That you've seen in one of our episodes
20:35Or nominate a veteran to be featured
20:36In a future episode
20:37Log on to our website
20:39OperationHealingHeroes.org
20:41And click on the nominate button
20:43For more information on yours
20:44multiplied by Kim
20:46mom
20:47Bye
20:48Bye
20:48Bye
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21:10Bye
21:11So
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