Ivan Arreguin (IA)

IA: I remember nurses and doctors just began crying, saying “thank you for coming.” They were working long hours, dealing with so much death. And so they would pull me aside as I would make my rounds and I would listen to them and then pray for their strength.

And so, I remember I was sitting at my desk, and the sergeant major came up and he said “Sir, we have to transfer a deceased individual, and we were informed that he was a veteran. We want to know if you can conduct a memorial ceremony.”

Now mind you, none of us knew him. Never saw a picture of this individual. And yet, we understood that there was a bond between him and us.

And I said “Sergeant major, I will lead you.” And they said “Chaplain, whenever you’re ready.” And, uh, I remember my soldiers pulling his body out of the refrigerator draped in a black bag. And soldiers begin walking out, all at attention. And as we pass each soldier, they begin granting final salute honors. And we stopped right in front of the hearse. I had a word of prayer, and nobody moved until the hearse was already out, moving away.

As a chaplain, I took an oath to respond to the needs of my nation: to care for the wounded, nurture the living, and honor the fallen, honor the dead. And when COVID-19 is finally declared complete, I might go back to New York sometime. And I just wonder what it’s gonna feel like to walk down those streets and say, man, I was here when this happened. And I’m thankful that I was given that opportunity to serve my nation that way.