Bill Clinton

“ To become a parent is one of life's greatest joys. We devote ourselves to our children, investing our hopes and dreams in them and protecting them so that they may have a better life than we have had. There is probably no greater pain, therefore, than the loss of a child. None of us expects to outlive our children, and when mortal hands rob us of our posterity, the loss is devastating. ”

“ Like the brave soldiers who have lain down their lives in defense of our freedoms, their mothers have earned our deepest honor and sympathy, having sacrificed so much for America, yet continuing to give of themselves to ensure that the ideals of freedom and democracy live on for future generations. ”

“ Long after a slain soldier is laid to rest, that young man or woman's mother will remember her loss every day for the rest of her life. When a mother bids farewell to a child in uniform, she begins to serve her count in her own private way, worrying that her child will be in harm's way and that this young man or woman, in whom she has invested so much love and care, may pay the ultimate price on the battlefield. ”