Major Steve Harrold, founder of Knights of Heroes, says he didn’t expect the impact his camp would have on the boys’ mothers who accompany them to camp.
“It’s the friendships they develop with other widows,” said Harrold. “To come here for a week and share their stories, talk about challenges they’re facing, and get advice, is really big. It means a lot for them to see that other people care about what they’re going through. It’s important to know they’re not alone and not forgotten.”
Nine-year-old Tanner Hartwick has attended Knights of Heroes since it began, and in September 2008, chose to write a school assignment about the experience:
I’m Not the Only One
One evening mom says, “Do you want to go play at the neighbor’s house?” My sister and I said yes! So we played at the house and then my mom asked Haley to come here. When my sister came out, she was crying so hard that she couldn’t talk to me that well. But then I went in and said, “what did you say to her?” My mom said, “Son, your dad died.” At that moment I thought I was in a dream and ran home like a cheetah! When I got home, I ran into my mom’s room and looked at a picture of my dad. I remembered the last words he said to me were I love you and I said I love you too. My mom came in and hugged me.
A couple of months later my mom heard on the radio about a camp in Colorado called Modern Day Knights (now Knights of Heroes). I went to the camp. When I saw all the boys that lost their dad too, in my mind I knew that I wasn’t the only one without a dad. That week I made a lot of friends and it was cool! I was out camping in the woods and doing lots of boy things. It was more fun then going to Disney World and made me feel better to know that I wasn’t the only one. My mom and sister had fun doing girl things too. I wait all year for camp time to come again. This year will be my third year.
Lord, show me how to support those who feel forgotten.
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.” (Psalm 68:5)