Marine Corps Air Station New, N.C. -- Sgt. Amanda King stood before a crowd of Marines, Sailors, and civilians in a softly-lit chapel to tell a story of violence and heartbreak and how she, as a survivor, could help others find the strength to recognize the signs of domestic violence and, more importantly, do something about it.
Marine and Family Services aboard Marine Corps Air Station New River hosted a candlelight vigil for victims of domestic violence at the air station chapel, Oct. 11.
Caroline Cobb, a social worker with Marine and Family Services aboard the air station, started the solemn event with a quote from Mother Teresa.
“We feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”
This helped set the tone for the vigil, driving home the urgency of a call-to-action against domestic violence.
“You came here today because you wanted to hear from a victim, but I am not a victim,” said King. “I will not stand before you and cry evoking feelings of sympathy. I am a survivor.”
The interesting thing about King’s story is that she is no different than any other Marine. She was the platoon leader of her section. She trained her Marines, counseled them, guided their development, and performed her duties to the best of her abilities. King kept her personal problems at home to not raise problems for her command.
King fell in love with someone who turned out to be completely different later in their relationship. He took his aggression out on her. Her husband led her to a repeating pattern of physical and emotional abuse. She said because the aggression had only been directed toward her; she never imagined that he could turn it toward their newborn son, Deklin.
“Like every Marine, my duties led me to a field operation and I was called away from home,” said King. “I received a call that my newborn baby was taken to the naval hospital for skull fractures.”
King, unable to shelter her children from the abuse while she was away, was helpless as the trauma to her son led to his passing. She stood tall before the crowd and read the eulogy she wrote for her son’s funeral, bringing her speech to a close and echoing her hopes for an end to domestic violence.
After King’s speech, candles were lit as the names of the victims of domestic violence in North Carolina were read, accompanied by the tolling of a bell for each name.
“We hope this service will prove insightful,” said Cobb. “We also hope it can be used as tool alongside the commandant’s efforts to bring an end to domestic violence in our communities.”