Rebecca Pepin and “Faces of Freedom”

My neck of the woods is blessed to be the adopted home of a very special young lady. As a legal immigrant from her native Canada, Rebecca Pepin worked hard and did everything that was required of her in order to become a naturalized citizen of the United States, and on October 27, 2006 that dream became a reality.

Rebecca is a living example of everything that makes our nation so great, and her life and achievements are undeniable proof  that anyone who wishes to come here and live the American dream can do so - and they can do it in a manner that is both honorable and fair.

In her new book “Faces of Freedom”, Rebecca eloquently honors the memories and sacrifices of America’s fallen heroes, the magnificent young men and women who have given their all in order to help protect the ideals and way of life that she and millions of other legal immigrants have worked so hard to attain over the years. Her writings are both insightful and reverent, and you can feel down in your soul the connection she obviously shared with each family member as she interviewed them.

“Faces of Freedom” poignantly tells the personal story of 52 of America’s best and brightest, one from every state in the union as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Through the words and tears of those who loved them most, we are provided with a humbling glimpse at their heroic lives and tragic deaths, and in the end we must surely all come away with nothing less than complete respect and honor for their service and sacrifice.

As a veteran myself, I was honored to receive a signed copy of “Faces of Freedom” for Christmas this year - a special gift from my daughter Tami. And I must tell you, it was hard to turn even one page without feeling a tear run down my cheek after reading about each and every one of these 52 amazing individuals.

Of course their tremendous love for their country and the willingness to risk their lives in defense of it are by no means unique to the brave men and women profiled in the book. While intensely personal, their stories are no doubt quite similar to those of most of our fighting men and women who are serving on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan today.

Duty, Honor, Country: three simple words that epitomize what it means to be a patriot and a soldier. And through this wonderful book we all have an opportunity to honor the lives, selfless service and deaths of just a few of America’s finest.

To learn more about Rebecca Pepin and/or purchase “Faces of Freedom”, please visit www.rebeccapepin.com.