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By Angela Almeida
Opinions Editor
Video By Danielle Garcia
Heroes are often venerated as knights with Excalibur swords or humans with super powers. In Coppell, however, there are heroes showing their courage in deeds rather than idealistic perceptions.
These heroes, ranging from young to old, brother to father, staff sergeant to lieutenant, are Coppell High School alumni or relatives of current students.
Ashton Daily is a 2004 CHS graduate with the world at his feet. Already in his second term of service, Daily is a lieutenant and platoon leader at only 25.
After CHS, Daily attended Texas A&M University where he majored in Business and started in the Army Core as a freshman.
“He’s the coolest person I know and my best friend,” sophomore and sister of Daily, Mattie Daily said.
Mattie is proud of her brother yet eager for his arrival, despite the far-off projected time to be around next January or Febuary. However, considering Daily is committed to an eight-year term, his time spent with Mattie and the rest of his family, including mother and CHS Algebra teacher Paulan Daily, is valuable.
“It’s bittersweet (the feeling of Daily in the army), I love him and am so proud of him,” Mattie Daily said. “When he’s home I’ll cry and hug him.”
Senior Susan Wentworth shares in Mattie’s sentiment as her father, Randall Wentworth, just recently deployed to Somalia. Wentworth, a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy, was one of ten agents selected to go to Africa on a highly specialized mission, entailing his communicative skills and hacking into enemy systems.
Although Susan is proud of her father, she does see the toll being involved in the Navy service can have. With 13 long months ahead, her father is projected to return around December of 2010.
“He got a call saying he was going to go to Somalia in a matter of days,” Susan said. “We all were really scared but we spent a lot of family time together before and now it is better.”
Wentworth, talks to her father via Skype virtually every night. Unfortunately, Senior Joey Donaghy can’t say the same for his cousin Heather Donaghy.
“Yeah, like sometimes Heather will call me at three in the morning and wake me up,” Donaghy said. “It sucks cause it’s not like I can know where she is or what she is doing, however just the fact that she’s safe is reassuring.”
Donaghy, is too coping with the vacancy of his cousin, Heather, who is overseas protecting a base in Afghanistan. Although her region is not specified due to national security concerns, Donaghy keeps in contact with her over sporadic phone calls at unforeseen times.
Heather, a staff sergeant in the Army, is currently serving as a medic on her first tour overseas. Donaghy anticipates following Heather and join the military, but as of now can only hope to have prospects of serving the country following senior graduation.
“It would be awesome to join her,” Donaghy said. “We are best friends and it’s hard knowing that someone you care so much about is constantly in harm’s way.”
Daily, Wentworth and Donaghy all share something prevalent throughout CHS: a tie to those selflessly serving the country. As examples of the stability and positive outlook needed in unfortunate circumstances, all three CHS students understand the invaluableness of soldiers today.
