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Alex Cabrero reportingA golden eagle was released over Camp Williams today to commemorate soldiers killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A woman nursed the eagle back to health after it was hit by a truck last year. Today's ceremony had a double meaning, especially because an eagle is the symbol of America's strength. So, the woman who rehabilitated it for a year decided to release the bird in honor of her father, a veteran, and in honor of Utah's soldiers who died at war.
With every name read out loud it became clear, Utah's contribution to the war efforts came at a tremendous cost. Today, thanks to Patti Richards, those soldiers were honored and remembered.
"It started out with me wanting to honor my father, who is a World War II vet," Richards said. But how she decided to honor those soldiers, well that's another story of compassion a year in the making.
Last May, a golden eagle was hit by a semi truck in Sanpete County. The bird was brought to Richards at her Great Basin Rehabilitation Center. The eagle was close to death.
"I knew we immediately needed to get her some fluids, but I really didn't think she was going to make it. She was pretty beat," Richards said.
Isis, which they named the eagle, had severe head trauma and eye damage.
DaLyn Erickson of the Ogden Nature Center said, "She basically had to learn to eat and stand and jump from perch to perch all over again." That took almost a year. Today Isis seemed to be back to normal.
For Patty Acosta, who's son Ceasar Machedo died in the war, seeing the eagle made her cry and smile. "I always want to remember about him. I'll always cry, and I'll remember him for the rest of my life," she said.
That is exactly what Richards was hoping for.
"To see her take off like that, and think, I did that. You know, that's a big deal. That's really a big deal," Richards said.
The crowd watched the eagle for a couple of minutes until it couldn't see her anymore. She circled a few times before flying beyond eyesight. For those who lost loved ones in the war, seeing that eagle brought a moment of happiness.
E-mail: acabrero@ksl.com
