Todd Jason Bryant

West Point, 2002

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Jim and Mary Ellen Moshier on November 5, 2003:

Words cannot express how badly we feel about Todd?s death. I guess we have been in shock since we first heard last Friday night. I know in my mind that all of the young men and women that we have grown to know and love over the past few years, will face the reality of war as they pursue their careers, but in my mind we kept justifying that they would all be OK, and come home to us. At West Point, things did not come easy for our Cadets, and out of an intense sharing of successes and failures has grown this indescribable bond between this ?band of brothers?. They share in each other?s happiness, as in Reeves, Tim?s and Todd?s wedding, and they will share in each other?s losses. I?m sure that you are already feeling this sharing as they have called to speak to you about Todd?s death and the upcoming services. I?m sure you will continue to see their support whether it is at Ft. Riley, Arlington, or some future reunion. They truly are remarkable young men and women. For Todd and Tim, they had a special relationship. They were roommates. They lived together, smelled each others dirty laundry, shared each others love lives of new relationships, struggled together to make the standards of West Point, and became true friends. I don?t think they could even start to think of an Army career, or some other future life without being able to continue to share their experiences. I know how much Todd meant to Tim, and I thank him for it. He was a friend of our son, and we got close to him because of that friendship. We looked forward to future encounters with Todd and Jen, and wanted to continue to share in their experiences. Whether it was to be on the beach at Cape Cod, at a West Point Reunion, on a first ever trip to California, Beaverdam Wisconsin, Manhattan, Kansas, or Fairbanks, Alaska, or at some future wedding in Haleyville, Alabama (think of that!). I am at a loss because now it will not happen. For Mom and I, tailgates at West Point in the presence of all of our boys,the Ducks, will never be forgotten, and cannot be envisioned in the future without thinking of Todd. Never again will I fry a turkey without thinking of him. I hope that it may be of some comfort to you to recognize that Todd will in some ways, still be present in all of us. There are experiences in which we will share, where you will see him, or be reminded of him,as in all of his friends at West Point. Todd did not come into your life without leaving some kind of mark. For me, it will be his ?swing from the heels attitude? on the golf course, or his big white suburban with the California Dude license plate, or his relationship with Jen. Every time we look at his picture, we're proud of him, proud of the way he treated ?Mom Mosh?, and me, and proud of the way he lived his life.We will truly miss him, and we will not forget him or his family. Please know that anytime you are in our area, we would love to hear from you and you are welcomed. Todd has paved the way, and you are entitled to a lifetime of favors and sharing from the Moshier family, in whatever way we can help. "There is no greater love, says the Lord, Than to lay down your life for a friend." We love you all- Jim and Mary Ellen Moshier

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