thenickwick

[thenickwick]

The Specialist

               There’s a saying in the military: “All gave some, some gave all.” In fact, it’s said so often that sometimes we have to remind ourselves what that really means. At age 22, Army SPC Mathew G. Boule made the ultimate sacrifice while serving his country. Boule was the first New Englander killed in the Iraq War on April 2, 2003 when his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was shot down over the Karbala Gap in the series of events following the attacks of 911.               In the Army, Boule was a crew chief and gunner. He enlisted in downtown Lowell and was in basic training by March of 2001. He had a knack for fixing things and knew he always wanted to serve his country. His father was a marine; he wanted to make him proud and was enlisted before 911, but accepted his missions as the tensions grew. “He knew his job and he was happy to do it for his family and the people he cared about,” says Boule’s former fiancé, Kat Pintal. His death was felt all over the Merrimack Valley as people gathered by the masses during his funeral procession down Lakeview Ave.

In the many years since Mat’s death, the Town of Dracut discussed and deliberated over the creation of a park in his honor. The town selectmen voted unanimously in August of 2015 to dedicate the land and finally break ground on this overdue project at 1200 Lakeview Ave. as a tribute to Mathew and all the other veterans who paid the ultimate price. Kat Pintal and state representative, Colleen Garry, have been spearheading the funding.

With the go-ahead vote, Pintal, Garry, and many other volunteers have been working hard since then, donating their time to raise awareness and funds for the project. One of their campaign successes was a benefit show on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at The Boathouse in Dracut, MA which featured live music by Sinister Sister, Blackheart, Overdrive, Casual Gravity, and Inner Child. There was also food and raffles with all the proceeds being contributed to park construction. Throughout the day, band after band came on, dedicating songs and sets to Boule. Covering songs and artists that Boule fancied, among them ‘Walk’ by Pantera. Anyone in the room could tell every band was pushing themselves to play their best. When asked why they played the show and how she felt about the event, Mickey Kanan of the band Blackheart said “This is what we do. We’re here for each other and we’ve got to stick together. That’s what the music is all about.”

This show is one of a few things the park campaign put together. Since starting the fund, the people of Dracut and the surrounding area have been nothing but supportive. The Dracut Firefighter’s Dept. contributed over $500 in donations and fund cans had been disbursed to various establishments in the Merrimack Valley to offset the cost of the park. There was also a successful bike run a few months later. The public also voted Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union to donate $1,500 to the cause.

               On Saturday, November 5th, 2016, the park was finally dedicated. Massachusetts State Governor Charlie Baker, Leo and Suellen Boule, Mat’s mother and father, Kat Pintal, members of the Nam Knights, veterans, friends and family were all on hand for the dedication and celebration. The Massachusetts state police helicopter also did a flyover in his honor. This spring, the park will finally be complete once the trees are planted and new roots will grow.

Personal Note:

I haven’t written anything in a while because this story has been on my shoulders for a long time. It was originally supposed to be about the show that happened last March with the proceeds going towards Mat’s park. Nice, simple, easy piece. Then I tried tying things in, and it wasn’t so easy. Time passed, too much time for the story on the show to be relevant. Things I’ve learned in writing – timing is everything – you’ve got to strike when the iron is hot. I planned on dropping the story with another tie-in on their next event, a bike run several months later. I couldn’t get the pieces to fit. Eventually, time passed and I got busy to the point where writing just became more work (I’m still there, but I’m trying to fight through it).

Timing, being busy, life getting in the way – they were all factors, but I was ultimately worried I wouldn’t do the story justice; how does someone who’s never been in war write about someone who lived it and was taken by it? Even the lede, “All gave some, some gave all;” there’s a huge margin within those reversal of words. Kat was also at one point my older sister’s best friend for a time when they were children so there’s that whole wanting to deliver the story and make it count. I even remember being in high school when his procession came down Lakeview Ave.

It wasn’t until Family Day this January that I knew I needed to finish this piece, even if it was bad, late, and difficult to write as long as I did my best. Corporal Matt Dushame discreetly handed me a challenge coin for my letter to a WW2/Korean War soldier sponsored by the Honor Flight program. We each had to write these letters several months prior – the thing about the older guys who’ve served is they typically don’t or can’t talk about it much, usually, to civilians. It’s tough for them to open up about their experiences, which not only is that hard enough, but you can also imagine some of them were both epic and traumatic. I don’t know if he read my letter or could just see that I put time into it. I didn’t see him give anyone else a coin and I really don’t want to know if he did. All that matters is that it made me realize I needed to finish this.