Soldier’s story brings tears to House

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/georgia/entries/2007/02/02/soldiers_story.html

Soldier’s story brings tears to House

A freshman state lawmaker brought the House of Representatives to tears this morning with an emotional speech about his daughter narrowly surviving a mortar attack at a U.S. military base in Baghdad.

State Rep. Mike Glanton (D-Jonesboro) cried as he stood in the well of the House speaking about his daughter, Staff Sgt. Latisha Glanton of the Ft. Polk, La.-based 488th Quartermaster Co.

One by one, lawmakers joined Glanton at the podium and placed their hands on his shoulders as he read an email his daughter wrote him yesterday. In her email, she describes her close call and the injuries her fellow soldiers sustained in the attack.

“One of my friends pushed me out of the way - praise God - and into safety, but two of my friends were hit,” Glanton said, reading from the email. “I cannot stop crying, Daddy. When I close my eyes I hear my friend McCall screaming he can’t feel his leg and seeing all the blood on his uniform. I hear Milton screaming ‘Don’t leave me!’”

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Fellow lawmakers wept as Glanton spoke. When he finished, Republicans and Democrats alike lined up to embrace him.

State Rep. Mike Glanton (D-Jonesboro)