He died for me
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
There is a sermon in here somewhere. An article in the New York Times principally focuses on the improving condition of Congresswoman Giffords, but it ends with this keeper:
The story of Mr. Stoddard, mourned at the day’s other funeral, has become part of the tragedy’s lore. When the gunfire erupted, Mr. Stoddard knocked down his wife, Mavy, and threw his body on top of hers to protect her. Mrs. Stoddard was shot three times in the leg but was released from the hospital last week.
As the service was about to end, Mrs. Stoddard went to the microphone, wearing a red jacket and sitting in a wheelchair. Her hands shaking but her voice strong and firm, she said: “I am the woman who was married to this man. He loved God, and he loved me, and spoiled me rotten.”
A wave of laughter went through the audience. “The journey will be very, very difficult, but he died for me, and I must live for him,” she said.
“I will survive,” she added. “We will not let that gunman take that away.”
