Hometown pays tribute to Sgt. Sheehan

Jeanice Garfield’s children grew up with Kevin and Heather Sheehan; in fact, she lived next door to Heather’s family. So it was only natural that Garfield was one of the first people in line to give blood in honor of the memory of Army Sgt. Kevin Sheehan.
http://rutlandherald.com/article/20140626/NEWS02/706269930

Nathaniel Sheehan gives his first pint of blood at a Red Cross blood drive in Springfield that honored the memory of his father Kevin Sheehan, who was killed in Iraq in 2004. Photo: Len Emery PhotoPublished June 26, 2014 in the Rutland Herald Hometown pays tribute to Sgt. Sheehan By SUSAN SMALLHEER Staff Writer SPRINGFIELD — Jeannice Garfield’s children grew up with Kevin and Heather Sheehan; in fact, Garfield said, she lived next door to Heather’s family in Springfield. So it was only natural — an act of a member of the family, really — that Garfield was one of the first people in line Wednesday morning to give blood in honor of the memory of Army Sgt. Kevin Sheehan of the Vermont National Guard, a Springfield native who died in Iraq 10 years ago last month at 36 years old. “Kevin and Heather are my kids’ age, and they’re lovely people,” Garfield said. Kevin Sheehan was a dedicated blood donor, his wife and sisters said. The family had settled on the blood drive as the best way to memorialize him. His daughter Alyson, 13, showed a photo of her father, with his five gallon Red Cross donor pins attached. Nathaniel Sheehan, 16, Kevin and Heather Sheehan’s son, gave blood for the first time Wednesday, carrying on the family tradition. Nathaniel, a poised and well spoken teenager, bears an uncanny resemblance to his father. “I’m my father’s doppelganger,” he joked, posing for photographs and media interviews as he prepared to give blood. His younger sister Alyson said she would definitely give blood when she could. With parental permission, children can give blood at age 16. The Sheehan family — Kevin’s widow Heather, their two children and his siblings and their children — most wearing special “Team Sheehan - Kevin” T-shirts, with a photo of their husband, father and brother and uncle on their backs, posed for photos, and got their time to donate blood. People who came to the blood drive at the empty Radio Shack store in the Springfield Shopping Plaza were a combination of the American Red Cross’ dedicated donors, and people who wanted to help remember Kevin Sheehan in a special way. Anita Smith of Cavendish, who said she was a regular donor and had given more than two gallons, said she came Wednesday morning to make her regular donation, without knowing anything about the story behind the special drawing. “I’m learning about Kevin,” she said, looking at a large photo display of him, from childhood, high school and on to his career as an engineer and young father. Smith said she had natural empathy for the family, she had also lost a brother tragically. Another longtime blood donor, Jim Ball of Springfield, recalled that his son graduated from Springfield High School with Kevin (Class of 1986) and his wife, Heather (Class of 1987). Mary Brant, communications manager for the Northern New England Red Cross, said the timing of the drawing couldn’t be better. The 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are usually very dry times for blood donations, she said. “These days are the toughest of the entire year,” she said, marveling at the turnout. “It’s so wonderful to see this kind of turnout,” she said. More than 120 people had signed up in advance to give blood at the special summertime blood drive, and walk-ins were welcome until 5:30 p.m., said Red Cross volunteer Sharon Yesman. Yesman said that based on the early turnout, that goal would be easily exceeded. Heather Sheehan, who lives in Milton with her children and works as an occupational therapist with children with special needs, said doing a “positive” thing such as the blood drive made bearing the family’s sorrow easier. “It would be easy to get down in the dumps,” said Heather Sheehan. “It’s better to do something positive.” Karlene Sheehan of Springfield, one of his three sisters, said that she was the youngest in the family until Kevin was born when she was 11, her parents’ bonus baby. He was the baby of the family, and she said she resented him terribly back then. “I would pinch him when changing his diaper,” she said. “I would give anything now to give him a pinch.