Suck Creek Soldier Comes Home One Last Time

A Suck Creek soldier made his final trip home early Tuesday morning.  Army Sergeant Patrick Durham died in Afghanistan last week after being hit by a roadside bomb.  The plane carrying his body touched down at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport just after 9:30 a.m.  

This is not the homecoming Durham's family had hoped for.  It all seems so painfully slow.  First the charter plane taxis in.  Then the doors slowly start to rise.  As the Guard stands by, the men inside the plane quietly climb out.  All of this is in such contrast to they way Durham lived.  "He was very fun loving to be around," says Durham's wife Kristy.  "All his buddies say that he always brought a smile to people's faces.  He always enlightened everybody's lives.  He was a great husband and great father."

Durham leaves behind three children, 7-year-old Cheyenne, 3-year-old Gage and 2-year-old Elijah.  Kristy says all of them will know they were loved.  "They kind of understand but they don't really right now," says Kristy.  "But that's the story that me and their mothers will tell them when they get older hopefully."

Durham's father Sammy tears up when he speaks of his son.  "If you love somebody tell them you love them because you don't know when they're going to be gone," he says.  His son gave the ultimate sacrifice.  Now he can only stand at the first sign of the flag-draped coffin coming out of the plane.  He remembers his son as a guy who loved guitars and Ford Mustangs.  "This is the way we're going to remember Patrick," Sammy says, "with a big grin on his face and a dip in his mouth.  He was one hell of a man and I'm so proud."

He is proud of the man who died fighting for his family.  And on a day where heroes bring heroes home, handshakes just won't do.  Sammy walks his way over to the men who escorted his son home and embraces then in hug.  "He is a hero," Sammy says.  "Patrick is,  always was and always will be a hero."

Visitation is Wednesday at the Lane Funeral Home from 4-8 p.m.  The funeral is Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m.   Sergeant Durham will then be buried in a small family cemetery in Suck Creek.