Soldier's mother calls support from community 'overwhelming'

March 30, 2007

By Nick Fawell Staff Writer

Jason Henderson's mother, Cathy, said the response from Jason's e-mails being published in The Sun has been "overwhelming."

"It just really means a lot to have people express that kind of support," Cathy Henderson said.

She said she's received numerous e-mails from friends, old neighbors, parents of Jason's high school classmates, and many more. People are wanting to know what Jason's address is in Iraq and what they can send, she said.

"I think it just brings it home when they see they're (soldiers) from Naperville and went to high school here and grew up here," Cathy Henderson said, adding that she's been telling people to send books, movies and music to her son because there isn't a lot for him to do during downtime. "It just kind of brings it home that that's who's there ... somebody's family, somebody's friend."

According to his e-mails, Jason likes to keep "a little bit of civilian" in himself to retain his sense of identity. That's why Jason enjoyed the Christmas lights his mother sent at Christmastime so much. And that's why his mother sent him a Bears Super Bowl sweatshirt during the Super Bowl along with lots of pictures. He loves to personalize his space, Cathy Henderson said.

"That's part of the military is that everyone is the same, but I think it's important for them to be true to themselves too," she said.

In today's featured e-mail from Jason, the Army private first class tells the story of how an Army sergeant, "a very angry little man," took away a part of his identity by making him cut off his slightly-too-long-for-the-Army hair, which he described as "flirting with the regulations."

Since Jason can't grow his hair out, his brother Caleb Henderson decided to grow enough hair for both of them.

An 18-year-old freshman at Creighton University, Caleb has been growing his hair out since before Christmas -- and won't get a haircut until his brother comes home from Iraq in May and does the honors himself.

Contact Nick Fawell at nfawell@scn1.com or 630-416-5196.