Gold Star Families: The Knock on the Door When a Military Member Dies…
Cats: Heart of a Military Woman| 
This 12-minute video offers hope to those Gold Star Families, in the photo-video story of military families receiving the KNOCK when a loved one has died while in service to our United States Military. It shares the importance of Gold Star family connections in the wake of THE KNOCK, as well as education for those outside the circle of Gold Star family grief.
Deborah Tainsh
Heart Of A Hawk: One Family’s Sacrifice and Journey Toward Healing
Also included is the lovely poem, "Please Don’t Knock."
Whether you are a military family, know of one, know of a person serving in the US military service (any branch), you will be touched by this message.
An excerpt from Heart of a Hawk:
There was only one reason for two men in Army dress greens to be standing at the door in the still dark morning. They were bringing a horrid message not worthy of sunlight. But this couldn’t be possible. Just yesterday Dave had called Allstate to reinstate Patrick’s car insurance. He had mailed a check to Fort Polk to the captain’s wife to help buy soap and shaving cream to put in the barracks for the guys when they arrived home next month. But at that moment, Deborah knew death had truly appeared at their door like a thief in the night. It was 6:00 a.m., February 12th, 2004.
During the notification officer’s announcement, "Sir, I’m sorry to inform you…," Deborah’s mind replayed a flood of memories. She and Dave had just discussed the trip to Fort Polk to meet the unit when they arrived in another fifty days or so. They had planned the trip to Disney World. The Christmas tree was still in front of the dining room windows with Patrick’s gifts beneath it. Now, was someone actually telling them the sun would no longer rise? That overnight, the earth had stopped spinning on its axis? That gravity no longer existed? Deborah fell to her knees on the floor, her hands cupped to her face, catching the flood of tears. Dave stood in silence, his arms crossed in front of his chest as though the posture would repel the horrible truth.
