All those who cried during the Service, chime in.

Ron's Day | Bob J

[Bob J]

Blubbering like a baby in LA...

[Arpege92]

That was funny about the goldfish. I love laughter through tears.

[DeSoto]

***chime***

I lost it several times today. It is good to grieve such a great man. For several decades, America has been short of heroes. We have lost one of the greatest heroes of our time.

I don't know if others have reported it, but I read Nancy's lips when she was saying her final farewell, and I swear that when she had broken down in sobs, and was talking to Ron Jr. and Patti, that "I don't want to leave him here...." That is when I really lost it.

God Bless Nancy, as I am sure that He has already Blessed President Reagan.

[fso301]

I was doing well right up to the moment when the honor guard removed the strap securing the flag to the casket. At that point, I knew the dreaded end was very near. The lump in my throat grew until the admiral presented the flag to Nancy. At that point, I lost it. Never regained composure until after nancy left.

I then lost it again when in a split screen shot, Margaret Thatcher curtsied the president just a few seconds before the sun set behind the mountain.

At a sunset service, Margaret Thatcher, was the last person to pay respects to Ronald Reagan prior to the sun setting behind the mountains. Knowing such moment could never have been scripted and that Margarets sunset is fast approaching, I lost it again.

[oolatec]

As soon as Amazing Grace with bagpipes started, I started...

[Bob J]

Heavy Metal to you too.

[vetvetdoug]

Yes I cried. Amazing Grace never meant a whole lot to me until they sang it at my wife's funeral. The bagpipes playing Amazing Grace brought my memories of my late wife and the passing of President Reagan together. I remember how proud I was when Reagan became my Commander in Chief after six years of turbulence with Nixon, Ford, and Carter. President Reagan brought back a pride to members in the military again that we had lost from the back to back debacles of Viet Nam and Jimmy Carter. I left the military in 1983 and got a discharge with President Reagan's signature. In 1984 I was part of a large reenactment at Brandy Station, Virginia, where the organizers, knowing President Reagan's fondness for cavalry, invited him (a snowball in hell chance but what the heck). There was about 400 horses involved but President Reagan remembered the gesture and invited many of us to his inaugural parade. Well, that was the parade that never was. It was so cold that windshields on cars cracked when the heat hit the inside of the window. Hot coffee froze solid in less than ten minutes in the tent where my horses were kept in Upper Marlboro, Md, waiting for the parade. At midnight the Parade was officially called off but we were invited to a large gymnasium that afternoon where President and Nancy Reagan came to thank us for coming such a long way and not getting to participate in the Inaugural Parade. They were gracious and hung around to meet many of us. I won't ever forget that gesture by a gracious couple. They didn't have to show up, their schedule was tight for the Inauguration but they felt it necessary to thank us at the assembly. I was ever so proud. This man was a class act. He made me proud again to be part of the military and was gracious when we didn't get to show him our horsemanship in the Inaugural Parade. You bet I cried. He was my Commander and shared my love of horses.

[SevenofNine]

I cry like a baby too

During when Nancy put her head down on coffin for final time and when Margret Thatcher spoke at funeral

[Brimack34]

I lost it during Mikes speech about the the gift to him. And also Nancy not letting go. I was a bit put off by pattie and ron not letting mike in with Nancy. And also when Wallace said if you like Pres. Reagans politics or not!! You always know a liberal when they say that about Conservatives. They never say that about liberals.

[Adrastus]

After years of being stoic and hard as Chinese arithmatic when the pipes played I got a golfball in my throat (heartless wife continued to ask questins that could not be nodded to), but when Taps was played I came unraveled. No shame, but pride at being a citizen of a country that could produce the likes of Ronald W Reagan. (Glad I'm not a dem today)

[Digger]

I started crying when I saw all those cars pulled over on the highway with the people standing beside them. Didn't stop through the whole thing.

Same thing wih my wife & me.

[Eagle737]

I read Nancy's lips as she was weeping when the kids came over to console her at the casket. She said "I just don't want to give him up."

[tuesday afternoon]

Yes, oh, yes....

[section9]

I lost it when Nancy broke down at long last. She had been the picture of composure and grace, and at the end, the final parting, she did not want to let him go.

Nancy went through what every wife and mother of a young infantryman who was killed in action goes through. They do not want to let him go.

But the Lord has his own plans, and they are not for us to understand.

As I wrote earlier in the week, let us not mourn Reagan to excess. Rather, let us thank God that such a man lived.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Jeff Head]

We all owe him a huge debt and the only way we can pay it off is to work hard to continue the ideals and goals he had for all of America.

Agreed. We must make his legacy, our legacy, to whatever extent we can within our own spheres of influence.

Gracious, kind, respectful...but fixed in our determination to spread the blessings of liberty and peace through application of the foundational moral principles which he so abley embodied...we must come to embody them ourselves.

...and as he did, and as such strong witness was borne to this day...we can do that best by following our Saviour.

[fso301]

Ron Jr.? What's the deal.

I seriously doubt Ron Jr. liked Anita Bryant.

[feelgoodfox]

For me, it was when Michael said that at the end, his father recognized him only as the guy who hugged him, and began to spread his arms at the sight of him. I shut my eyes tightly, and the tears kept welling up.

[Jeff Head]

I witnessed as the ENTIRE NATION "Manned the Rail" for this great man.

Indeed...a great analogy, observation and perspective. And he deserved every bit of it.

[Wait4Truth]

I, too, was doing ok until Nancy broke down - then I cried with her. My heart is with her. She was married to a great man - a blessing to her and to us all. May the Lord give her peace and strength.

[Politicalmom]

I burst into sobs this morning when they played one of the songs. I think it was "Ode to Joy". It was one they played at the end of Chariots of Fire. I startled myself, I got so upset. I have been tearing up for days, but I just broke down this morning. I have been crying off and on this evening too, especially when they played Hail to the Chief for the FINAL time.

[Bob J]

Yes, we all manned the rail today.