Master Sgt. Art Lilley aka NC_Zuk killed in Afghanistan (official information)

[78mphgpr]

I just found out about this as I have not visited  this site in some time. I found out through the Pirate board.
 My condolenses to all of Arts family and friends. I was one of the lucky ones as I had hung out with Art at 2 Zuwharrie events and very activly typing back and forth on the boards.

The spookiest part is that when I sighned in to post in this thread there were quite a few new pms that I had not known about and one was from Art.

 I miss you buddy!

[louie_the_goalie]

Death truly is a 'beetch'. And it has war on a leash as a pet.

My most sincere condolences to Art's family and friends.

Lou

[hereticzuk]

 

[Bansil]

Our prayers go out to Arts' family,he embraced the Isuzu community with the same love and respect as he did with the Zuk's

Thankyou Art for your service,you'll always be remembered.

Doug

[ShipAhoy]

Two members here posted on the Patriot Guard Riders website and I thought I'd provide a link here to our site. 

If anyone here is in the area of Uniontown, Pa, please join us in honoring MSGT Arthur Lilley. 

We would be honored to stand with you, standing for him.

http://www.patriotguard.org/ALLForums/tabid/61/forumid/11/postid/552427/view/topic/Default.aspx

[Blue Ridge Runner]

Two members here posted on the Patriot Guard Riders website and I thought I'd provide a link here to our site.  If anyone here is the area of Uniontown, please join us in honoring MSGT Arthur Lilley.

http://www.patriotguard.org/ALLForums/tabid/61/forumid/11/postid/552427/view/topic/Default.aspx

I want to personally thank each and every one of the fine people from The Patriot Guard for supporting Art and his family. Its folks like these people that make me proud to be an American. Thank you and God Bless you.

[yoothgeye]

Justin,
I have never had the opportunity to shake hands with you and say hello face to face. I just wanted to add that I am moved by your post and think that you have done justice to a man we all considered a friend.

Thank you for your time to put that here. You are right on the money in so many ways.

Thanks for that, it took me a long time to know just what to write, and I wanted to read through everything everyone else had written. I just wanted to honor him, because in his work and life he honored all of us.

[RedbeardsBaby]

My prayers are sent out to the Art Lilley family. Peace be with all of you in  this difficult time.

[SNOWzuki]

Prayers are going out for Art and his family.
God's speed my friend. You will be missed on this earth.
I hope to go wheeling on the clouds with you someday.

[zuki1600]

Samurai enthusiasts and indeed all freedom loving patriotic Americans have lost a true friend.  I never had the honour of meeting Art in person.  He will be missed and remembered as a hero who made the ultimate sacrifice so that others may live free and enjoy the grand traditions(i.e. 4wheeling, etc...) that we have in the greatest nation in the history of the world.  Thank you Art Lilley for your service to our nation.  I pray god will bless, console, and watch over your family.   May you rest in piece.     

[Vernon]

I really don't know what to say, especially after Justin's post...Art was a great guy and I'm gonna miss him. I'll be praying for his family.


The Orange Line sticker is a great idea.

[Biggerhammer]

I was driving to the beach with my family on Friday when my sister called to give me the news that Mike had read on the board earlier that day. I never know what to say when people tell me about a death.

I was immediately at peace for Art because in the past we discussed Christian issues and I knew that he had secured his eterrnity in heaven through God's grace, but I was also immediately heartbroken for his family. When I think of the time I first met Art and I was shaking his hand and talking to him, I replay that memory in my mind and my focus turns from Art's face and settles on his 2 kids. Buckled into their army issue OD seats in the back of his Samurai. Their smiling faces, red hair, and sunburns. I hurt so bad for them, it's bad enough to lose a father, but a great father, so mush worse. They have so much life left in them, and still having a great father I can't imagine what the future holds for them.

As I continued toward the outer banks I had a lump in my throat as I shared the news with my wife. She remembered meeting him and his children and she hurt for the family as well. We kept riding in silence as my mind dreamed that maybe there had been a mistake, or some sick joke, kinda like in the movies. You know, everyone would be grieving and then Art would bust through the door and say "It was a mistake!" But life isn't a movie. People die... we all die, we have to be ready for, and Art was ready. He had his spiritual baggage packed.

We all have great memories of Art and are enjoying talking about him now and talking about how we are praying for him now, but our true devotion to Art will come if those memories of him change us. If we see how great he was and instead of saying "I wish I could be like him" we actually make changes to be better people. If instead of just saying a prayer to God for Art, we take up praying to God for everything, all the time, just like Art always has.

Art will be missed, but I'd rather he be honored by all of us. Let's be the people who Art would have proudly reminisced about had it been us.

Rest in Peace Art Lilley.

Wow, This coming from a guy that will pop funny on you in a heartbeat. Well said Justin, well said.

[zukfari]

The only communication I ever had was on his (So Long) Thread saying to him Good Luck. I remember how proud I was just to say that to a man I had never meet, but knew what he was sacrificing for all of us. I wish I could have could personally known the Man you guys knew and loved. God's Speed Art.

DW

[yoothgeye]

Wow, This coming from a guy that will pop funny on you in a heartbeat. Well said Justin, well said.

Gotta look past the hard candy shell. This is why I getta back to Zuwharrie. When is the next event?

[freewheelin]

I was driving to the beach with my family on Friday when my sister called to give me the news that Mike had read on the board earlier that day. I never know what to say when people tell me about a death.

I was immediately at peace for Art because in the past we discussed Christian issues and I knew that he had secured his eterrnity in heaven through God's grace, but I was also immediately heartbroken for his family. When I think of the time I first met Art and I was shaking his hand and talking to him, I replay that memory in my mind and my focus turns from Art's face and settles on his 2 kids. Buckled into their army issue OD seats in the back of his Samurai. Their smiling faces, red hair, and sunburns. I hurt so bad for them, it's bad enough to lose a father, but a great father, so mush worse. They have so much life left in them, and still having a great father I can't imagine what the future holds for them.

As I continued toward the outer banks I had a lump in my throat as I shared the news with my wife. She remembered meeting him and his children and she hurt for the family as well. We kept riding in silence as my mind dreamed that maybe there had been a mistake, or some sick joke, kinda like in the movies. You know, everyone would be grieving and then Art would bust through the door and say "It was a mistake!" But life isn't a movie. People die... we all die, we have to be ready for, and Art was ready. He had his spiritual baggage packed.

We all have great memories of Art and are enjoying talking about him now and talking about how we are praying for him now, but our true devotion to Art will come if those memories of him change us. If we see how great he was and instead of saying "I wish I could be like him" we actually make changes to be better people. If instead of just saying a prayer to God for Art, we take up praying to God for everything, all the time, just like Art always has.

Art will be missed, but I'd rather he be honored by all of us. Let's be the people who Art would have proudly reminisced about had it been us.

Rest in Peace Art Lilley.

Well Justin you finally pulled it of. For the very first time I was able to read a post of yours without the image of you holding that huge rice-crispy treat stuck in my head.....Very well said.... The lump in my throat hadn't showed up today....until I read this post.
After spending a couple years on the board and a few phone conversations with Art, I consider myself lucky to have been influenced by him. You fellows that knew Art better are very fortunate.