Dearest Nikia,

Jimmy and I are thinking about you and the children. We love you and we will never forget Darren, he was a true hero.

Love, Fay

I remember the day my mom told me that Darren had passed away. I had been set to deploy to Iraq only in a few days. I remember the shock and how I cried. I remember being devastated at not being able to attend his funeral, because I would be doing my part for our country. Darren was a great inspiration to me as I was preparing to enter the military. He was almost always at our DEP functions, giving everyone a foot-up before they went off to basic training. He was always ready to answer any questions I had, and I even remember when he was packing for a week of training, and he taught me how to roll socks. It's funny the things you remember once someone is gone. I am out of the military now, and spending some time at home with my mom and my baby, while my husband is in Egypt. I look forward to visiting where Darren was put to rest and pay my last respects, which I havn't gotten a chance to do yet. Thank you, Darren, for your friendship and your service.

I would like to personally thank Darren for giving the ultimate sacrifice of his life to ensure that my and my family's security and freedom here in the most blessed of all nations is maintained. He was truly blessed with a loving and selfless family who were not only willing to share him in his service to our country but also that you shared such an intimate story of this sacrifice with total strangers. In doing this you made us better able to understand the emotions and frustrations you encountered on a daily basis. I admired your hope, faith and the charity you received from your community. That is what makes this nation great. You truly shared the person that was Darren with us all. As a former military brat, military wife and also a nurse of 33 years, I could relate to some of what you shared with us about the military processes and the hospital experiences. My father and two of my uncles serviced in the war(s). I truly thank you and your family for all of the sacrifices you have made and the emotions you will continue to experience. I admire you for keeping the memories of their daddie in your babies hearts and minds. You are one terrific mom! Keep Darren close to you in the happy memories you carry in your heart and in the faith you have that he will be waiting for you on the other side. I hope that you continue to do well! Colorado Springs, CO

I'm so grateful for people that defend our country. We owe these people our livelyhood and so much more. The family doesn't know me but I was playing WoW one night with a family member and we talked about it briefly and about Jesus and it was so cool to hear that he's up in heaven now and saved by the grace of God. Thanks for all of ya'lls sacrifices.

take care
Matt

There is not a day that goes by that i dont think of my love.. It is almost 2 years since i lost him, but it seems like just yesterday i was hugging and kissing him goodbye to go over there to do what he was trained to do. I just got back from Fort Benning, GA where we were living when he left to go to Iraq to help get more closeor (i know i spelt that wrong) and when i got there i felt like i was going to go pick him up like he just came home, and when i saw his old SGT he told me that Darren was not coming home but he was in a better place and it was time to let go. He also said but DONT ever let him go in your heart cuz he will always be there. I just looked at him and cried. He asked me why i was crying and i said cuz it was happy tries beacause that sounded like something Darren would say to me. Everyday i look at my kids and i smile because they remind me so much of their daddy. GaryDean was only 3 months old when Darren left for Iraq. But to this day if you show either one of our babies a picture of him they will tell you that is their Daddy. While i was in Georgia i got a tattoo of him on my left shoulder blade. When i got home Shaye (our daughter) looked at it and said now daddy is with us where ever we may go mommy. I told her yes daddy is with us no matter what and daddy loves and misses us very much. But i thought i would share some of has been going on in the last year.

Darren i love and miss you very much baby.

Thank you, Darren, for giving your all for our freedom. Thank you Howe family for keeping his memory alive. He must have been a wonderful person. He will be missed by you but also by millions of others who feel that not one lost life should be forgotten or taken for granted. God Bless You and your wonderful family. I am praying for you all. May we all see Darren again one day in heaven.

Thank you, Darren Howe, for all that you have done. Men and women like you who put on the uniform and who serve to protect and defend our nation are the true American heroes. As the mother of two young children, thank you for working so hard and for making the ultimate sacfrice for the future generations of this great and wonderful nation. God bless & keep your family.

Thank you Darren Howe and the entire Howe family. He is what makes America such a great place.

I really respect Darren Dean Howe. He died cause he was he was a honorable person!

I am the grandmother of a Navy Sailor and I give thanks every day for the honor of being an American. I pray for all of you and your families and to those who have paid the ultimate price, God Bless your loved ones. We are forever in your debt and will never forget. Again, Thank You.

Although I did not know Darren, I wish to extend my sincere sympathy to his family and friends. Your loss cannot be replaced, but I hope the expressions of a grateful and proud citizen will help you in your time of grief. I wish I had known this fine young man....

I am also from Blind Faith on Dragonblight. I also want to extend my condolences and prayers to the family. Losing someone is very hard to handle and at times makes you question your faith. Your son has put a face on the lost. It is so easy to forget that those numbers are actual people. I wish I had words that could ease your pain, unfortunately I do not. Alls I can say is Thank You for allowing us to see into his life and to share your grief, for in sharing, you are not having to carry the burden alone.

Misty Sorensen/ A military wife and daughter

I belong to the 'Blind Faith' Guild on Dragonblight, and wished to express my deepest, sincere condolances to you and your family. There is a poem of an Unknown author, I tend to read whenever such a tragedy of loosing a loved one occurs, it helps me through the greiving process and I wanted to share it: it's called "Miss me, but let me go."

"When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room.
Why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little--but not too long
And not with your head bowed low.
Remember the love that we once shared,
Miss me--but let me go.

For this is a journey that we all must take
And each must go alone.
It's all a part of the Master's plan,
A step on the road to home.

When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know,
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds.
Miss me...but let me go."

May the Gods guide Darren's spirit. *salutes*

Thank you to "Feitholder" for making all of us on Dragonblight (WoW) aware of Darren's and his family's sacrifice. Regardless of whatever politics exist overseas and at home, the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines of the U.S. fighting in Iraq and elsewhere show honor, courage, and commitment worthy of everyone's respect and admiration. They are heroes, and should be regarded as no less. We of the Blind Faith guild salute Darren, his wife (Army wife: the toughest job in the Army!), his children, and the rest of his family for their devotion to duty and their ultimate sacrifice. HOORAH!

This is such an honor to all who have fallen, not just Darren. I would like to sincerely thank his step-father for his dedication to honoring his son, many thousands heard Darren's story from a character known as Feitholder. I had the privilege of serving in peace time, but would have laid my life down for my country if required. Heros are not made, they are born. Darren was certainly a hero to the 6 men he pulled out of that Bradley on that fateful day. He will forever stand as a testiment to the honor, courage, and commitment that all members of the Armed Services hold dear. God Bless You Darren.

Thank you very much for everything you've done for us Darren. I know god is with you and your familly in these troubled times. My prayers are with you.
Sincerly,
A Thankful stranger

Darren was truly a great friend of mine and my 2 kids. My kids loved him and he is still my son's hero. He calls him a "herio." I have met most of the immediate family, JoDee, Greg, Alex... a couple of months before he deployed. I lived next door to Nakia Darren and the kids for about 7 months before he deployed a couple days before my exhusband. I even took Nakia to drop Darren off to report hours before his deployment. Darren gave me a hug before he left and told me to watch over his wife and kids. I promised. And I did, even when Kia was leaving to go back home (to NE) and something was wrong with her van. I was there with friends to help her within 15 minutes! Darren came home a few months into his deployment for medical reasons. He moved into the barracks,since his wife was in NE, but stayed with me most of the time. He wanted to help me take care of my kids, Jonathan and Isabella, since my husband at the time was also deployed. I believe it had a lot to do with the fact that he missed his family being around! He loved his wife and both kids dearly. Darren helped me so much, and I am forever grateful for everything! For example, I was sick and he would watch my kids while I slept. I would wake up to him swinging the kids around and laughing. He was so tender hearted when it came to things like that. He melted at any mention of Nakia, Shaye, and Gary Dean and would do anything for his family.
Darren was injured on my exhusband's birthday (Oct 17) and died on mine (Nov 3). Of course those are days I will NEVER forget. I pray for his family every single night. I know he died doing his job that he loved, and he continues to protect us all while in heaven. I love him and miss him very much!!!!!
Kia, Shaye-Shaye, Gary Dean, JoDee, Greg and Alex....thank you for Darren's contribution to enduring our freedom! My family and I will NOT FORGET!!!!!! God Bless.

I love you darren,
your sister, jenna

I LOVE YOU BABY AND I MISS YOU ALOT. SOME DAY I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN AND I CANT WAIT TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN. XOXOXO HUGS AND KISSES FROM YOUR BABIES AND I.