Gregory Francis Zavota

West Point, 2005

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Ryan Andersen on December 1, 2008:

I have been thinking of this note for over a year and how to articulate just how much Greg's passing has affected me. There is not a day that goes by that I don't take a minute to think about my old childhood friend Greg and the tremendous individual he had grown up and become. Greg and I were good friends in elementary school, constantly doing something like playing baseball or other mischief. I can still remember going over to the Zavota's and Greg and I would go down to the candy store at the corner of Kent and Sowams as high rollers. As we grew older, our lives drifted apart and after we attended separate high schools our conversations and friendship ended. When I was looking at colleges I remember thinking about West Point but never had the grades to get in and how in awe I was of an old friend making that sacrifice. There were little bits of information that floated around Barrington that kept me informed and when I found out that he was going to fly helicopters, I was completely floored. I just recently graduated in May from URI with an engineering degree, and branched Aviation through an ROTC commission, following in the footsteps of Greg. He was part of my inspiration to go into the military and is my inspiration to fly. I drive into the gates of Ft. Rucker and somehow Greg always jumps into my mind. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of how much I wanted to meet up with an old friend down range. To the Zavotas: Mr. & Mrs. Zavota and Keri. God bless your hearts and your kind words of Greg that have left me some insight on how the last 10 years of his life were. You all are amazing, generous people and I want you to know that you are in my prayers always and that Greg would be so pleased with all the kind generous work that you are doing for so many veterans. I would love to hear of stories of Greg over the last few years. Please send an email. ryan.p.andersen@us.army.mil. Greg- Thank you, for pointing me in the right direction in life whether you know it or not. You really are a guardian angel. Your life and our memories will remain with me all the years of my life. God bless you and rest in peace old friend. 2LT Ryan P. Andersen "Above the best"

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