Two years ago, three lives were recalled in one instant and three warriors were promoted to Warriors of the Light and tasked to carry a higher mission.

Today we remember Lt. Valerie Cappelaere Delaney as well as Lt. Cmdr. Alan Patterson and Lt. j.g. William McIlvaine III. Three of our brightest, the very best that we could ever made, I say we have not lost those lights.

 No, they have not left us. We cannot touch them nor see them but yet, they are around us.

 They are trying to transform us, open our hearts, see the light. They want us to be the light. They leave us little signs and lead us to new places. They help us meet angels and other healers so that one day, we may become ourselves angels or healers. And that’s when we become the light.

This has been a hard road over the last two years. Indeed, it is a tough battle to fight but we have help… and help from the very best.

Very soon, in that Spokane field, poppies will grow and butterflies will come. When we see the poppies and the butterflies, let’s remember that they carry a special message. Open your heart and listen. Soon we will become the light and then, finally, re-unite.

By Pat Cappelaere, Val’s father