War on Terror Hits Home - Mother of soldier killed in Iraq collapses, dies

TUCSON, Arizona (AP) -- A 45-year-old woman collapsed and died days after learning her son had been killed in Iraq, and just hours after seeing his body.

Results of an autopsy were not immediately released, but friends of Karen Unruh-Wahrer said she couldn't stop crying over losing her 25-year-old son, Army Spc. Robert Oliver Unruh, who was killed by enemy fire near Baghdad on September 25.

"Her grief was so intense -- it seemed it could have harmed her, could have caused a heart attack. Her husband described it as a broken heart," said Cheryl Hamilton, manager of respiratory care services at University Medical Center, where Unruh-Wahrer worked as a respiratory therapist.

www.cnn.com...

Unruh, a combat engineer, had been in Iraq less than a month when he was shot during an attack on his unit.

Several days after learning of his death, his mother had gone to the hospital complaining of chest pains, Hamilton said. She was feeling better the next day but saw her son's body Saturday morning and collapsed that night in her kitchen.

Her husband, Dennis Wahrer -- also a respiratory therapist -- and other family members performed CPR but Unruh-Wahrer was pronounced dead that night.

Autopsy reports are not yet available.

Thoughts and prayers out to this family.

Very sad, sometimes I wonder what the reaction will be if my son or daughter comes home in a coffin, I always said that in my case I thing I would lose my mind, if I don't die of grief first.

I feel that as a mother I did not bring my babies to this earth to die for a un justify war, yes I will see as an honor if my son or daughter die defending our soil in a war against US, but to die on another soil for nothing more than oil I don�t think so.

My thoughts exactly marg.
Prayer to the family

she did seem young, to die at 45.

Better to die like that than have to live every day in agony. Who on earth could continue living after such a loss, she is lucky she didnt have to resort to more violent ways of making her escape from this hell hole. Wow, what a way to go -- just keal over.

Very hard for the rest of the family though.

How terribly sad... this is the kind of stuff that first makes me cry then makes me want to tear down this Bush administrations even more for the senseless killing. I cant image me being able to deal with the horror of such news..I couldnt go on living.
Very sad.

I do feel bad for the mother, but her son made that choice and voluntairly served. It is not the Presidents fault. He is the commander in chief. The soldier must follow his superior's orders. It is the terrorists who killed her son not he President. You people need to get your facts straight. Even if we are there for oil it is ok. We need it as a natural resource to survive. I applaud the President for his actions and still support him even after this heartbreaking story.

Yes, very sad. I understand the mother-son relationship, one that can be very special. I guess the mother's heart was with her son, and when her son passed on, so did she.

He was a soldier who died an honourable death.

Originally posted by IBM
. Even if we are there for oil it is ok. We need it as a natural resource to survive. I applaud the President for his actions and still support him even after this heartbreaking story.

Obviously you are too yound or very naive. But again you are entitle to you own oppinios.

Originally posted by marg6043

Originally posted by IBM
. Even if we are there for oil it is ok. We need it as a natural resource to survive. I applaud the President for his actions and still support him even after this heartbreaking story.

Obviously you are too yound or very naive. But again you are entitle to you own oppinios.

How am I naive? I am quite up to date and educated on what happens in the world. Are you indirectly insulting me by calling me young? I am 22 by the way.


[edit on 6-10-2004 by IBM]

My heart goes out to the family of this brave warrior and his mother. Every soldier knows that when your called to duty you must do your job. Even though sometimes what your fighting for is wrong. Your there to do a job and you do it the best you can. Even though it is wrong! We can only hope this war ends soon and that not to many more of our brave warriors will die for someones elses stupidity.

Bush will be called on judgement day to answer for the NEEDLESS atrocities.
He will have to answer to a higher power than HE is

How do you justify killing so many thousands of innocents? You cant.
Hell is awaiting.

Originally posted by dgtempe
Bush will be called on judgement day to answer for the NEEDLESS atrocities.
He will have to answer to a higher power than HE is

How do you justify killing so many thousands of innocents? You cant.
Hell is awaiting.

Evidently President Truman will be there waiting for him. He "killed" thousands also, but how many other thousands did it save?

tell me how many if any americans did bush save by starting this war, none yet he is reponsible for killing many.