A tribute to Peace Corps volunteer

I was saddened to read that another young American life was lost while serving our country overseas.

Every day, it seems, an American family must go through the anguish of dealing with the loss of a loved one.

This time, it was not one of our brave soldiers serving in Afghanistan or Iraq with tens of thousands of other soldiers. This time, it was a Peace Corps volunteer serving in the jungles of Suriname alone.

The report said she accidentally tripped a "set gun." Immediately, I thought of the booby traps of the war in Vietnam, the IEDs of Iraq.

At this point no one knows what happened -- officials believe it was an accident.

I can only grieve for the family of this volunteer who chose to serve her country and humanity and had hopes of making a difference in the world. I believe in her short life she did make a difference.

I believe she made a difference in her host country. She lived the words of General James M. Gavin who said, when he heard of Kennedy's Peace Corps idea, "...young Americans would like to do something more ennobling than watch over other societies in military uniform."

Blythe Ann O'Sullivan of Bloomingdale was one of those noble Americans we all should remember for the sacrifice she made.

John Paskevicz

Arlington Heights