Soldier cherishes letter from young boy, holds on to it for 10 years
KENNESAW, Ga. - It was a letter from a young boy that touched the heart of a soldier. So much so, that the soldier carried it with her for ten years, through several deployments.
Once the soldier came home, she made a point of tracking down the child who wrote the letter. "I just really wanted to meet the boy behind the letter," said Lt. Col. Sharlene Pigg.
In 2007 Lt. Col. Sharlene Pigg, who was then a Major in the Army, spoke to a second grade class at Kennesaw Elementary while on leave.
Collin Martin, who was just 8 years old at the time, was in that class. Later he sent her a letter saying he hopes she would come home soon. He also included a coupon to his family's pizza shop in Kennesaw and invited her to have pizza.
Lt. Col. Pigg said the letter meant the world to her.
"He was the one student who said please come back and see me," said Lt. Col. Pigg.
She hung on to it as she moved several times with the military. Now after 25 years of service she's about to retire, but she had one last duty, a personal one. She wanted to find that young boy.
With the letter and that ten-year-old coupon in hand, she showed up at his family's pizza shop. Lt. Col. Pigg, Collin and even that second grade teacher, Laura Storch, met and talked about how much that letter meant to her while she was overseas.
"The servicemen and women greatly appreciate a card, letter, email or care package. But it doesn't even take that much, a simple thank you on the street goes a long way and is a great reminder of why we serve," said Lt. Col. Pigg.