A re-edit of the essay on the visceral experience of my brother’s death as an event which helped me develop a deeper level of understanding for other people and also gain insight into some of the pain and horror entailed in conflict and events at large throughout human history, as well as offering a lens though which to view national leadership.

Reader warning: Contains graphic descriptions of death that some may not feel comfortable with. This was not done for shock value, but to illustrate the aspects of first-hand experience that contributed to insight.