Soldier heads back to Iraq after family displaced by home fire

By Melanie Csepiga – Times Correspondent

CEDAR LAKE | Excitedly tearing at the brightly wrapped box, 4-year-old Carter Rekitzke opened it to reveal a shirt with a fighter plane on its front.

As he showed it off to the rest of the family, his father Christopher Rekitzke smiled. “This is Christmas for me … I leave Friday.”

Rekitzke is home on leave from his position with the Army National Guard in Iraq, helping his wife and four children pick up the pieces after an accidental fire destroyed their home earlier this month.

Rekitzke, his wife Annie, and children Christopher, 12, Ally, 10, Ashley, 8, and Carter had an early Christmas Tuesday courtesy of those at Wish For Our Heroes, a recently formed organization based in Greenwood, Ind.

There had been nothing under the tree at the home of Pam and Dave Altop, Annie’s parents, until Gary Sherman and his father Harry Sherman, both of Indianapolis, arrived bearing gifts for the family from Wish For Our Heroes.

“Santas have come in all shapes and sizes this year,” Annie Rekitzke said. “I can’t put it into words. It started as a tragedy, but everyone is bringing us blessings.”

Ally, who is an avid reader as are her siblings, said she was happy to find books as gifts. Entire collections of books she had were destroyed in the fire.

“It’s really amazing …There are really good people in the world,” she said.

While the children were limited to opening only one before heading off to school, a large pile of presents, rumored to be coats, hats and toys, remained under the tree.

“It feels good to give back to deserving people.” Gary Sherman, who volunteers with , said after visiting with the family.

Annie Rekitzke conceded the prospects for celebrating Christmas looked dim after the fire.

“We just want to get the word out about the organization. It’s wonderful what they’re doing for military families,” she said. “Next year, hopefully we can get involved in it and give back.”

The Wish For Our Heroes was formed in November as a nonprofit foundation granting wishes for active duty soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and their families.

It was formed to fill the gap in assistance for hardship circumstances, the burdens of family separation and re-integration for deployed soldiers that is not met by existing military charities.