High-flying gratitude

By The Tampa Tribune
Published: April 17, 2009

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TAMPA --

Thursday was a day to remember for about 140 second-graders at Lowry Elementary School.

Navy Cmdr. Ron Seits, whom they have been writing to and showering with candy in Afghanistan since October, brought them a U.S. flag flown in their honor Feb. 26 over Seits' headquarters in Sharana.

Home for a short break, Seits brought the framed flag to the school as a thank-you. He returns to Afghanistan on Monday.

Seits' wife, Theresa, teaches fourth grade at Lowry, and one of their sons, Mac, 10, attends the school.

The students collected more than 100 pounds of candy that they sent to Seits and his unit.

Among the words of encouragement Seits received were these from second-grader McKenzie Kyler: "My mom says that God chooses very special people to protect our world. You are our guardian angel, but what makes you really special is that you are an angel we can see. Thank you for protecting us."

Marilyn Brown