Newsday reported tragic lacrosse-related news today: Jimmy Regan, a Duke lacrosse player (class of 2002) and U.S. Army Ranger, was killed by a roadside bomb in
Assistant Coach Kevin Cassese played with Regan for three years, and addressed the current team Friday: “What I said was that he was a guy who worked hard every day, who would do anything for his teammates, and would do anything to make the team better.” Cassesse spoke of Regan’s performance in the 2002 ACC Championship game, when Regan scored four goals.
Jack Moran, Regan’s high school lacrosse coach, said, “You couldn’t ask for a better person”—someone who passed up the opportunity to go to law school to serve his country, because “he felt there was a higher calling.” Regan served a tour of duty in Afghanistan before being stationed in Iraq.
Bill Basel, Regan’s high school football coach, remembered Regan as “one of those types of kids you’d like to have as your own son. A straight-arrow kid who was a terrific student and athlete.”
43 comments:
Absolutely tragic. My heart goes out to his family and may he rest in eternal peace.
Tragic is also for all the young people who have lost their lives for this war.
We appreciate his sacrifice more than words can convey, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
Texas Professor
Indeed, we are losing too many fine young people in that conflict. I give my condolences to all his friends and family.
Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. May God Bless. RIP
I am grateful for his service and sacrifice. Thank you.
A member of the rich elite gives the ultimate sacrifice for all of us rich and poor
A veteran
The motto of the US Army Infantry is "Follow Me!"
There are few moments I am more proud of than the moment I pinned the light Blue Infantry braid to my uniform.
From the description, this is another example of our finest young men and women selflessly stepping forward and living that motto.
You can almost hear him calling out to his brothers in arms "Follow me!"
Our hearts are filled with sadness for the Regan family and the families of countless others who have lost their lives in this terrible conflict. May the peace of God be with the Regan family during this time of grief. Jimmy sounds like an acceptional young man and a wonderful son. May his memory warm your hearts always.
"Eternal Rest grant unto him, O Lord, And let Perpetual Light shine upon him, May he Rest in Peace, Amen"
Condolences to the Regan family. Their son sounds like an incredible person who gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country.
An exemplary athlete, student, and son - may he rest in peace.
He embodies the character of those who are our leaders. I am grateful for his sacrifice.
--LG
Heartfelt thanks for special young men like Regan.
It is the ultimate unselfish sacrifice to risk and lose one's life for their belief in a greater good.
Sounds like this was typical of him.
God bless you, Jimmy. Thank you for your service to our country. I'll never forget your sacrifice.
Terribly sad news. I often wonder why we lower our flags to half mass for an entire month when we lose a president, yet we do nothing for these fine young men and women who die young for our country.
God Bless Jimmy and the Regan family. To show you how backwards this country is you have 24 hour news coverage of that pig Anna Nicole and then have this young man who gave the ultimate sacficice his LIFE for OUR country. God Bless him and all of the troops.
Thank You U.S. Army Ranger James Regan
The Regan family's great loss is our loss too. We grieve with them and will remember and honor James Regan's bright life.
Arizona family
Ranger school, for those who go through it, is one of the most challenging and rewarding parts of anyone's life. Few have what it takes to complete it. Fewer still are willing to put the challenge upon themselves.
The REAL PRIVILEGE of going to Duke is encountering students such as this young man. I have no doubt of this fact.
Another tragedy. Regan joins a long list of distinguished, skilled, utterly admirable young men (and a few women) picked off by IEDs. In another era, Samuel Colt (the pistol) supposedly made all men equal - though in war, it was never quite true. In Iraq, it is true.
An illiterate criminal paid 100 dollars to place and set off a explosive charge truly does negate all American tech, skill, and resume` advantages. Frequently, the 10 dollars comes from US taxpayer money given to Iraqi officials whose loyalties are with the insurgents.
Without weighing on the Iraq War, and the circumstances of his killing, Regan joins many others who did his best in life, listened to his military and political leaders, saluted, and perished doing his duty.
All credit and honor to him. All sympathy and best wishes for his family in their loss.
Mad Hatter says:
I grieve for the loss of such a fine young man as Jimmy Regan. May his family accept my entire family's condolences, and our hope for spiritual strength during this most difficult of times. Our country, regardless of political persuasion, loses so much with the passing of such a young gifted individual as he. God Bless.
Can you for one minute imagine the G88 making this sacrifice? Would they die for what they believe? I don't think so....but Mr. Regan did. And there, people, lay the difference.
--LG
A sadness so overwhelming...My thoughts and prayers are with the Regan family over this terrible loss.
Tom Clark on Durham Responds sez ...
I'll let the significance of the term `lacrosstitutes' as reported by
the national press, Ryan McFadyen's lurid email, and the fact that
this whole saga began with team's decision to hire strippers (THE
fundamental fact of this case, in my view), stand as testimony to the
propriety of the term `sexually aggressive' for the Duke lacrosse
team.
But I wish you'd do me the courtesy of responding to the main thrust
of my post and not just pick it apart to support some argument of
yours about how even before the prosecution has presented it's case,
you are so certain the players are the `real' victims here.� �I have
stipulated that if the DA's case falls apart then I'll agree that a
painful and substantial injustice will have been done to the accused
players.� But you, and other defenders of the team (see the `Friends
of Duke,' �seem to believe that if there are no convictions, or
simply not enough convincing evidence presented in the press prior to
any trial, then nothing bad could possibly have happened that night
and the DA, the police the accusers and, of course, us `potbangers,'
all must be evildoers or clowns.�
To the family of Jimmy Regan: I am one of many Americans who appreciate the courage and honor of noble soldiers like your son. He was doing what he thought was necessary to protect his fellow Americans. Some may disagree with him, but none should question his integrity, or the enormity of his (and now your) sacrifice. May God bless and protect your son's spirit, and may His love surround you and give you comfort in your time of grief.
A grateful American
in Tucson, AZ
Don't mean to go O/T from a hero, but I thought this might be important .
Vivian Thomas said "The REAL PRIVILEGE of going to Duke is encountering students such as this young man. I have no doubt of this fact. "
That's the real privilege of teaching here, too.
KC
Thus far you have given us all A-list assessments of the unfolding and evolving situation. Is it premature or out of bounds for you to start making predictions (even some suggestions) on what will or should happen to some of the most bombastic individuals in this case?
How's that book coming along? When is it going to press?
RM PAM
Honkie History Month
One of the fun things of observing Black History Month is the fact that it proves blacks have contributed nothing to the history of the US.
Negroes have to get it through their fat heads that whites have made the US what it is.
Let the Negro live for a day without the benefit of white genius. It'll go a long way toward letting the Negro know where it stands in the history of the world.
Go away, moron.
Chicago - Terribly sad news. I often wonder why we lower our flags to half mass for an entire month when we lose a president, yet we do nothing for these fine young men and women who die young for our country.
I think we have excessive "half-staff honors" as is.
I'd actually like to see most of it pulled back. A flag flying at half staff should be symbolic of a major event. Rare. Not ubiquitous.
30 days for a dead President is excessive. I think a week of blanket media coverage, state funeral, etc. is enough to let us all know the guy is dead and reflect on his life. Same with the 10 days being excessive for Head Judge, Congressional high muckety-muck, or dead ex-VP.
Singling out celebrities, ex-POs, cops or soldiers as having more valuable lives than other Americans who passed away and deserve unique half staff honors the other 2 million deceased a year don't warrant - really goes against my grain.
Modern societies that venerate police and soldiers above all other citizen's lives tend to be fascist states of the Left or Right.
All soldiers who have fallen are honored on Memorial Day. Cops lobbied and got Cop Memorial Day on Aug15th. Firefighters are lobbying for half-staff honors and their own half-staff day.
*****************
I also blame the Cult of Victimology and Therapeutic Reasoning - which originates in the same Lefties that are trying to lynch the Dukies, for this. Conservatives compound the damage of this bizarre cultural phase with their own list of "heroes" by virtue of victimhood. So anyone and everyone who can get special honors akin to self-esteem trophies "helps the family heal, and achieve psychological closure".
**************
Iraq is the 1st War were every dead GI killed by enemy or by accident in the combat zone is so honored in most states. I think a well-meaning idea has gone over the top. One state had their flag at half-staff 140 days out of the year for Iraq dead, plus another 15 days for dignitaries, counting overlap. Another state (CT) had their flag down for 3 weeks because they had the honor accorded for any "Iraq hero" from day of death to internment, and a family dispute on where the dude was to be buried went on for weeks.
Canada, in a spirit of well-meaning, had passed a law saying any soldier anywhere for any reason died, and ALL flags in Canada had to go to half-staff for 3 days to a week. And after a year of lowered flags anytime a Canadian trooper was killed in training, by us Americans accidentally, by Muslims, or by disease...They sensibly concluded that noble intentions paved the road to perdition, that the law was ridiculous, and was scrapped for "day of internment only, in the soldier's home provinence only, unless special order of the PM makes it a national honor...
His sacrifice is greatly appreciated, and I hope his family finds comfort.
Can you for one minute imagine the G88 making this sacrifice? Would they die for what they believe? I don't think so....but Mr. Regan did. And there, people, lay the difference.
--LG
No, they'll try to make political hay with his sacrifice. Countdown - 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, ...
G/d bless your soul Jimmy Regan.
May you soar in the heavens as you did here on this earth.
Debrah Correll
10:17pm
Can't argue with facts.
"Sunt lacrimae rerum et mentem mortalia tangunt"
The Aeneid, Book 1
10:17 PM,
The Blacks who served in the Armed Forces, especialy those who (unlike you) made the ultimate sacrifice, contributed much to the history of the U. S. I realize you are likely nothing more than a teenaged, bigoted troll, but it seems like even trolls could hold their pen on a thread such as this one. Can't you have the decency to withhold your venom when so many folks are paying respects to a fallen soldier?
Texas Professor
God bless this fine man and his family.
Always sad to hear. (I see he went to the same high school as Colin Finnerty). May his family find comfort in knowing that he died doing what he wanted to do, what he thought was important.
The Maker grant peace to the families of the fallen.
Very sad news. Is there any way of honoring Jim and Duke Lacrosse.
Thank you, Ranger.
God bless him.
As a fellow Chaminade grad a few years removed, I know very well the type of man James was and will be remembered as. He will forever be a testament to the good character and faith of those who serve in our beloved armed forces. May God bless him, his family, and friends, and may he rest in heaven for all eternity! We love you James.
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