Above, you see one of the last photos taken of my brother Cpl. Randy Payne and it was taken on Friday 21 April, 2006. One day before his untimely death. After you read this article, you can click the picture above to see more of Randy.
Corporal Randy Joseph Payne was killed in action in Afghanistan on 22 April 2006.
Randy and 3 other soldiers were killed when an improvised explosive device struck the
G-Wagon they had been driving back to Kandahar Airfield from a remote Forward
Operating Base in Gumbad, 75 kilometers north of Kandahar city. The 3 other soldiers
were killed instantly, but Randy was airlifted back to the airfield where he underwent
emergency surgery but later succumbed to his massive internal injuries.
You will forever live in our hearts and prayers my dear brother Randy. You have fallen
at such a young age so that others may grow old because you have made the ultimate
sacrifice for our country, and freedom in the world. You proudly performed your duty
until the end. You were so strong, you kept up the fight to live long after others would
have been able to. You fought and fought to come home and see your lovely family and
this is the only fight that I know of that you lost.
The convoy commander had asked Scott at the ramp ceremony to pass on how
professional you had been and that you had always done
everything right, everytime.
Fear not Randy for your family and your memory will not be forgotten.
Jody, Tristan and Jasmine are going to be taken care of for the future,
I promise you that I will see to that.
They say there will be 2,000 people at your funeral Randy. Can you imagine
that? 2,000 people! The town has never seen anything like this before. I have
to go now Randy, I can’t see through these tears anymore and I don’t want to
have another breakdown.
We all LOVE AND MISS YOU my brother.
Rest in eternal peace brother, for your work here on earth is done and you
have been called to a higher place to join the army of angels where you are
needed more and will no longer feel pain.
Until we meet again…