Craig & Fred
Page 23
Back in the truck, Fred had that sleepy, happy look, the one he always got when we were on the road together. He had no idea what was next, but he trusted me. It was just the beginning.
For Memorial
In honor of Sean Osterman and Justin Schmalstieg, their parents share their love and memories.
Gunnery Sergeant Justin E. Schmalstieg
MAY 16, 1982–DECEMBER 15, 2010
Since he was a young boy, we knew Justin was destined to be someone special. Justin was noticeably independent at an early age. He was full of life and had a great love for his family, which was evident when his brother John Jr. was born. You could see that instant bond between the two of them. Justin also had a great love and respect for his friends, who in turn showed the same love and respect; he was someone they could look up to.
As Justin grew, he pursued and began dating his one true love, his soul mate, Ann. When Justin graduated high school, he went on to complete one semester at Penn State, then he decided to join the Marine Corps because he said he liked “the way the uniform looked.” Several years after joining the Marine Corps, he eventually captured Ann’s heart forever, and they were married on November 7, 2009.
Courtesy of John M. Gilkey Sr. and Deborah L. Gilkey
Justin served three tours of duty in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. Throughout his career with the Marine Corps, Justin was known as a comic, but he also had the respect of his superiors and subordinates, and he gave back the same respect until God decided he needed another angel on December 15, 2010.
We are very thankful to everyone, especially Craig, for keeping Justin’s memory alive. Not a day goes by without thoughts of Justin. He is forever in our hearts.
Justin’s parents,
John M. Gilkey Sr.
Deborah L. Gilkey
Corporal Sean A. Osterman
JANUARY 11, 1989–DECEMBER 16, 2010
With Sean, things always had a flair about them. He was born three weeks late, and at just a day old, he was able to hold his head up. As he grew, he wanted to run, and that’s what he did: T-ball, soccer, swimming, lacrosse, karate, and anything that would wear him out. Sean had an active mind, too. He tested at a college reading level in sixth grade and scored 100 percent on his state testing in eighth-grade math.
At age fifteen, Sean was already six feet tall and wanted to join the military. As a junior, he joined the marines in the delayed entry program. He graduated from high school in 2007 and left for boot camp that summer. Even after suffering a stress fracture in his leg and limping through graduation, he never gave up.
Courtesy of Kelly Rae Hugo
After completing his first tour in Afghanistan, Sean extended his enlistment in order to go on his final deployment. He offered to take the place of a fellow marine who had just had a baby girl with his wife.
When we reached Sean in Germany, we were informed that he was gone but still on life support until our arrival. When we were asked about his viable organs, it’s the only time I could hear that baritone voice of his in my mind: “Hell yes, Mom.” Sean’s organs saved four more people on December 18, 2010. His heart is still beating in Germany, a gift that has sustained us in some dark times.
Sean’s mother,
Kelly Rae Hugo
Acknowledgments
Kelly Shetron, coauthor: I am endlessly proud of the work we have done. Thank you for being a consistent and professional coauthor in this effort to share Fred’s story. Thank you for helping me make sense of my journey and for shaping it in a way that makes me appear a much better writer than I am. Fred and I are proud to call you our friend.
Chad Luibl, my literary agent and best friend: Your professionalism and tenacity are the only reason our story has received the attention it deserves. Thank you for being my voice and the strongest advocate for Fred and me since day one. In some ways we have come a long way from the playground at Fairview Elementary and our street hockey games in the cul-de-sacs of Burke, Virginia. In more important ways, however, we are still the same. Thank you.
Rachel Kahan, William Morrow: Thank you for understanding from the very beginning how special Fred’s story is, and for matching my enthusiasm. Thank you for your expert editorial eye, and for giving me the freedom to work as well as the guidance I needed to work well. And Fred wishes to thank you for treating him like the VIP he thinks he is (and also for the gourmet dog treats you always offer him).
Rosemary Brosnan and Courtney Stevenson, HarperCollins Children’s: Thank you for helping me share Fred’s story with what is probably his most important audience, and for all the energy, enthusiasm, and joy you exude in our every interaction.
Winnifred Conkling, HarperCollins Children’s: Thank you for your hard work and commitment in shaping our story so that it is accessible for a young audience. You have created the type of book I would’ve skipped recess to read.
Eve Claxton, writing guru: Thank you for your editorial guidance and your ever-positive energy. Thank you for taking the time to understand my story, and for helping me share it in its best form.
And many thanks to Kate Schaefer, Gena Lanzi, Liate Stehlik, Lynn Grady, Kaitlin Harri, Emma Parry, Michael Steger, Eliza Rosenburg, Danielle Kolodin, Natalie Duncan, Alivia Lopez, and the rest of “Team Fred” at William Morrow, HarperCollins Children’s, and Janklow & Nesbit Associates. You all are a part of this, and I am grateful for your hard work.
Honora Parkington, Director of Fred Operations/Girl of My Dreams: You believed in my writing long before you had any reason to. You saw something in me that I thought I had lost, and you helped me find it again. I can’t imagine my life without you and I’m so glad that I don’t have to. I love you.
Sarah: Thank you for always telling me I was smart, even when I felt stupid. Thank you for never doubting me, even when I doubted myself. Thank you for reminding me that I’ll always be your little brother, even though I look so much older than you. And most of all, thank you for helping me sneak a dog out of Afghanistan, even when I thought I couldn’t.
Dad: Thank you for being my example of what it means to be a man. Because of you I understand the importance of selflessly serving my community, my country, and the world. You taught me the value of hard work, and you inspired me to become the man I am today.
Mom: Thank you for trusting me, even when it terrified you. Thank you for guiding me when it seemed like I wasn’t listening. Thank you for making me laugh, sometimes when there was little reason to. Thank you for always believing in me in those times when I didn’t believe in myself.
Nonnie: Thank you for being the toughest and most loving lady I’ve ever met, for teaching me how to be honest and brave. Thank you for your endless love and support.
Jason B.: Thank you for your dedication to my sister and the wonderful family you two have created. Your work ethic and adaptability are of a superhuman caliber.
Maurice: Thank you for your endless support and for being an example to me of class, grace, and Belgian hospitality. Thank you for loving my family and taking care of my mom.
Bren: Thank you for helping to take care of Fred, and for loving my family and always treating me like your son. Thank you for loving my dad and keeping him young.
Josh: Thank you for coming on the road trip with Fred and me. It would not have been the same without you. Thank you for being an example of friendship and brotherhood. Thank you for all your help with this book and for always believing in our story.
Ysa: My friend and brother, you’re the kind of person that I brag about knowing. Thank you for always being a phone call away, no matter how far a distance you might actually be. Thank you for being equal parts goofball and badass. You’re an amazing husband, father, and friend.
Bobby: Thank you for getting shot in the arm so you could come and hang out with us in Sangin, and thank you for putting your art career on hold to be a marine for a while. I’m proud to have served with you and I’m proud to be your friend.
Dave: “Thank you for kicking that g
uy in the chest, and for always letting me sleep in your sleeping bag, and for not getting mad when I hid that donkey leg on your pillow. Love, Fred.”
Jason: “Thank you for making me my first collar. Even though I didn’t like it, I know you worked hard on it. Thank you for petting me and defending me from those mean guys that day. Love, Fred.”
Mark (Top): Thank you for being one of Fred’s first friends, and for helping me stuff him into that duffel bag so I could bring him home. Thank you for showing us what it is to be a leader worth following.
Joe: Thanks for your contributions to the book and for being a friend to Fred and me. I am proud to have served with you.
Adam: Thank you for not treating me like an attachment. Thank you for your friendship and for your leadership. I am proud to have served with you.
The marines of First and Second RECON: Thank you for letting me contribute to your mission and for your daily demonstrations of bravery and kindness. I am proud to have served with every one of you.
Tony: Thank you for taking the time to listen to me, even when you couldn’t understand me. Thank you for carrying Stroh’s even when nobody wanted to drink it. Thank you for helping me honor my friends. I am proud to call the Pug home and I am proud to call you my friend.
Chaz: Thank you for giving me the courage to share the memory and story of Justin. Thank you for listening to me and reminding me what good music is. I can’t wait to see how big we can make Schmalls Fest. I’m proud to call you my friend.
Georgetown hockey program: Thank you for giving this old bruiser another shot at glory, and for reminding me how special this game we play is. It is an honor to have won and lost beside each of you. Thank you for your continued support and friendship.
My DIA friends: Thank you for getting water with me every twenty minutes and for listening to my stories about Fred, no matter how many times you’d heard them. Your presence made every day a bit brighter, and I loved working with you.
Bill: Thank you for being my first friend in the marines and for showing me that I could be a marine while still being myself. Thank you for helping me with my school papers and not calling out all the times I swore I’d never go to college.
PJ: Thank you for always believing in Fred’s story, for inspiring me to share it, and for helping me see the value in being a writer instead of an intel guy. Thank you for helping me move apartments more times than I can remember.
My friends: Thank you for always treating me the same no matter how different I might feel on the inside. Thank you for standing by me and not being afraid to tell me when I’m wrong. Thank you for being awesome to one another and for only growing up the appropriate amount.
Dog friends: To anyone who has casually asked me “What kind of dog is that?” in a dog park, campsite, street corner, or hotel lobby, thank you for listening and recognizing that Fred is more than a dog to me. Most of all, thank you for not calling him a corgi.
Fred’s social media supporters all over the world: We would not be here without you. Many of you have believed in our story from the very beginning. You have provided the support and validation we needed to keep going, and the positive stories you’ve shared have been a true inspiration. Thank you.
Photo Section
Craig and Fred in Afghanistan. (Courtesy of Dave Moran)
Fred napping in Afghanistan. (Courtesy of Craig Grossi)
Car and driver nap. (Courtesy of Craig Grossi)
Fred napping in a bug net. (Courtesy of Craig Grossi)
Craig holding Fred in Afghanistan. (Courtesy of Dave Moran)
Fred flying home. (Courtesy of Sergio Giacchetti)
Craig and Fred on the road. (Courtesy of Nora Parkington)
Getting ready to hit the road. (Courtesy of Michael Erhardt)
Craig and Fred in front of the Grand Canyon. (Courtesy of Josh Tuohy)
Beach camping in Coos Bay, Oregon. (Courtesy of Josh Tuohy)
Fred in Maine with Ruby. (Courtesy of Craig Grossi)
Fred and Nora. (Courtesy of Craig Grossi)
About the Author
CRAIG GROSSI is an eight-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps, recipient of the Purple Heart, and Georgetown University graduate. When not traveling with Fred, he supports veteran organizations including the USA Warriors Ice Hockey Program and the Marine Reconnaissance Foundation.
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Credits
Cover design by Mumtaz Mustafa
Cover photograph courtesy of the author
Copyright
CRAIG & FRED: A MARINE, A STRAY DOG, AND HOW THEY RESCUED EACH OTHER. Copyright © 2017 by Craig and Fred INC. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
FIRST EDITION
Digital Edition OCTOBER 2017 ISBN: 978-0-06-269340-2
Print ISBN: 978-0-06-269338-9
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