BY MATT SCHOOLEY
The phone rang at 3 a.m. one morning at Rick Fillion’s home. His heart skipped a beat when he answered, knowing it could be the phone call he has dreaded for the past year.
It was only a prank call, a hang up. But the Bow resident still didn’t sleep much the rest of the night.
His son, 23-year-old Tyler Fillion has been serving with the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry in Iraq for just over a year now. While Tyler serves his country, his family and others await the day when they can see their loved ones come home safely.
After dropping out of Moravian College where he played football, Tyler Fillion was considering transferring to Plymouth State University before joining the armed forces.
“It was really difficult when he made that decision. It wasn’t my first choice for him. It shocked me,” said Tyler’s brother Kyle Fillion, 25. “But after getting over some of the fears and hearing about some of the deaths over there, I was able to deal with it better. Knowing who he is, I knew he’d be fine. “
Rick Fillion worries daily about his son, not knowing if he is safe.
“It’s probably the one place where women and men see eye-to-eye,” said Rick Fillion. “It’s scary reading about a lot of the stuff. Many of the things he doesn’t share with us because he doesn’t want to scare us. I don’t think it really has any bearing on whether you’re the father or the mother. When you bring them up, sometimes you have to be the toughest being a dad. That stops at the point when your son or daughter is over there.”
Tyler is only able to call home once every two weeks or so, as his platoon is often on the move around Baghdad. In May, Rick Fillion received a letter from the Department of Defense and wasn’t certain what to expect upon opening the envelope.
In short, the letter told of Tyler’s bravery. A group of insurgents were assembling a bomb, when he took action to save the lives of those in his unit.
“Tyler’s performance ... has been nothing but phenomenal,” the letter says. “We are very fortunate to have a soldier such as Tyler, who is making a profound difference in the Global War on Terrorism and, specifically, bringing security to the people of Iraq.”
Kyle wanted to do something for his brother, so he organized a benefit in February at the Red Blazer in Concord, where he works.
The event raised more than $12,000 that was given to Tyler’s platoon for necessary equipment and some items such as weights and boxing gloves.
Though thankful for the generosity, Tyler doesn’t want to draw attention to what he does.
That modesty really stands true for most of the military, said Kyle.
“They don’t see what they are doing as anything out of the ordinary. They see it as a job,” said Kyle. “He was opposed to the benefit because he didn’t want it to seem like he didn’t have what he needed. He was more willing to give it to the guy next to him.”
One of the most emotional nights for the Fillion family came when Tyler showed up to the Red Blazer unexpectedly a few weeks after the benefit.
“I was working at the front desk on a Friday night and he just walked in. It was so great to see him, so I left work and we grabbed a beer. There were some big emotions,” said Kyle.
Last Thanksgiving, Tyler sent a letter home to his family, which still brings tears to Rick Fillion’s eyes as he reads it.
One section reads, “I am thankful for everything I have, from the air I breathe to the boots on my feet. Never have I been with none, but recently I have known what it is like to make it on very little. I thank God for every second that I feel no fear, and I thank him twice for every second that I am not scared .... I am thankful that I am alive, and I am thankful that I now see how lucky I really am.”
The Fillion family is thankful for Tyler.
“I’m just proud of him. He’s meant to do it. We’re not all capable of doing what Tyler is doing,” said Kyle. “I’m thankful that he’s the kind of guy who can do this so people like you and I can live our lives how we do. I am really grateful and proud of the guy he’s become.”