Ft Campbell Commander Reaches Out To Cancer Patient

A pact born from two battles ended Tuesday with a trip to the Black-hawk Flight Simulation Facility at Fort Campbell, but it is just the beginning of a friendship.

When 9 year old Adam Crider wrote a letter to a nameless soldier last fall, he never expected it to be more than a school assignment.



   

But for the little boy who's been fighting cancer for a year and a half, it's become a blossoming friendship with a Fort Campbell commander.

Lieutenant Colonel Scott Gerblick and his wife Terry own a home in Gallatin, TN and when a neighbor approached Terry about writing to the soldiers, she was more than happy to pass those letters along to her husband, then commander of the 7th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade. It was September, seven months into his year-long deployment, and the Lt Col thought he had seen and heard everything.



   

He took the time to respond to Adam's letter, with a sort of challenge of his own and a promise that he and Adam would have a little fun when he returned.



   

The Gerblicks were joined Tuesday at Fort Campbell by Adam, his brother Kody and his parents Sue and Ken for a round of flights in the simulator and then a tour of Black-hawks at the Campbell Army Airfield.

Training Instructor, Charles Cook explains what Adam, and Kody, did during the flights.



   

Ken Crider says his son has been a really trooper through all of this and the exchange with Gerblick help him get through it.



   

Adam was diagnosed December 26, 2010 with T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma after a 7 and half centimeter mass was found in his chest. His dad says that for them life changed dramatically.



   

But they are hoping the worst is behind them.



   

Sue Crider says they whole family is waiting for January 1st, but she thinks Adam is the most happy.



   

Adam's mom was there for the simulated flights over Fort Campbell and Colorado and says she will be forever thankful to the Gerblicks.



   

Adam says when Lt Col Gerblick came to visit his class back in the spring, it was an fun day.



   

Lieutenant Colonel Gerblick is currently the Deputy Commander of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.