Disciples Offer Sympathy to Families of ‘Fallen Heroes’

Janet L. Mills and her husband Russell H. Mills, members of Central Christian, were the catalysts for the “Fallen Heroes” ministry of the Murfreesboro church, which encourages people to send a sympathetic card or letter to a family who has lost loved ones in military service.

The couple got the idea for the ministry after they attended Walkup’s funeral, which was held this past July 4 at the Woodbury Church of Christ in nearby Woodbury, Tenn., which was Walkup’s hometown. A group of protesters from Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. were protesting at the funeral.

Members of Westboro Baptist, an independent Baptist church, frequently picket various events around the country, especially military funerals, gay pride gatherings, and high-profile political events. The church, which is led by Fred W. Phelps Sr., argues that it is their sacred duty to warn others of God’s anger over America’s acceptance of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender lifestyle.  

Despite the presence of the Westboro Baptist protesters, Janet Mills’ heart swelled with pride over the outpouring of support that she witnessed that day for the family of the slain soldier.

“I’ve never been so touched as an American and a Christian by the scene at that funeral,” said Janet Mills, who is chair of the Central Christian board. “The four miles between the church where the funeral took place and Riverside Cemetery, where Frankie was buried, was totally lined with people holding American flags.”

The long procession was led by approximately 100 members of the motorcycle riding group “Rolling Thunder,” a veterans and POW/MIA support organization. The Rolling Thunder formed a circle around the procession when they reached the cemetery. An estimated 3,000-4,000 people took part in the funeral.

“It was truly amazing,” recalled Janet Mills, choking back tears, “the love, the caring and the goodness.” After the funeral, the Mills wanted to think of a way to turn the deaths of military service people into a more positive experience. With the blessings of Steven Odom, the pastor of Central Christian, they launched the ministry. A Fallen Heroes section was added to the church’s website: www.borodisciples.org   

“We send them these notes to military families and basically all I say is ‘I don’t know you but I know of your loss and I care about your loss and as an American, I want to thank your loved one for their sacrifice,’ ” said Janet Mills. “These people write back to us, they send us pictures of their fallen hero, they send us the obituary and we read that these kids were in choir. They were in National Honor Society. They write poems about their lost loved one and they send them to us. It tells me how much this actually means to them.”

The names and addresses of the soldiers who have died in the war zones are posted on the website, along with information about their funerals. The lists are periodically updated from Department of Defense lists and other sources. People are asked to download those lists and distribute them to members of their organizations, such as a church, veterans post or some other group.

People can send the families whatever comes out of their hearts, said Janet Mills. “I just want them to know that I care. Those families just need to talk to someone and they need to get through this time,” she said.

The Fallen Heroes ministry seems to work best when someone in a congregation will be the contact person for the program at that church, said Russell Mills, who is deputy chief of audiology and speech pathology at the York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro.

According to a recent newspaper story about the Mills in the “Daily News Journal” of Murfreesboro, Hank Mills usually writes: "I didn't have the pleasure of knowing (name of soldier) but I am deeply saddened at your loss. He is a soldier who served with honor defending my family and millions of people he never knew. In that I find great honor. As an American and a veteran, I will never forget what he did for me; may God's time bring you peace."

By: James Patterson, writer