Losing Sarah Beckstrom
And Last Week on The Michele Tafoya Podcast...
Just Twenty Years Old.
West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom was just 20 years old when she was gunned down by an Afghan national in Washington, D.C. She was serving her country and preparing for her future. She was hoping to become an FBI agent, according to friends.
Naturally, we all want to know what motivated her killer. And the “rage porn” is all over the internet. People want to know who to blame, and the discussion has veered into political nonsense.
For a moment, let’s redirect our attention to Sarah.
Beckstrom was from Webster Springs, population around 680. She graduated with honors from Webster County High School in June 2023. Within weeks of finishing high school, she joined the National Guard.
After high school, Beckstrom migrated about an hour’s drive southwest to Summersville, where she was a community engagement specialist with Seneca Health Services, a substance abuse and mental health treatment center for teens and young adults.
Beckstrom and her boyfriend of six years, Adam Carr, broke up about six months ago.
Carr told reporters that Sarah initially didn’t want to go to D.C., where she’d be far from her tiny hometown. But she grew to love her fellow guardsmen and women and volunteered to extend her assignment.
“She would go to the monuments while patrolling on duty, and then on her own off time she would go visit… museums and monuments on her own,” Carr said.
But according to Carr, Beckstrom was also frustrated about how the guard was being treated. Carr told reporters, “Even though they were deputized, she said people would spit at her, throw things at her, and cuss her out and wish death upon them and just simply be outrageous and assault them, and they couldn’t do nothing about it because they had no leeway.”
After Beckstrom died on Thanksgiving Day, the streets were lined with mourners to honor her as her body was taken from the hospital to the medical examiner’s office.
The West Virginia National Guard issued a statement saying Beckstrom served with distinction as a military police officer with the 863rd Military Police Company. “She exemplified leadership, dedication, and professionalism,” the statement read.
In remembering Beckstrom, one of her friends and classmates recalled how surprised she was that someone known as a “girly girl” wound up wearing camouflage and training with a gun. But the friend said it could be attributed to Beckstrom’s kind heart and desire to help others. Beckstrom had been in Washington, D.C., with her unit since the beginning of August.
Rest in Peace, Sarah.
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Here’s a clip:
Full episodes here:
How to discover and rely on the better, and braver angels of your nature.
We say we want unity. Are you willing to do what it takes to achieve greater harmony in America? Or even just at your dinner table? There’s a playbook that can help you. Meet Doug Teschner and Beth Malow of BetterAngels.org. They have written and self-published a book that can help: “Beyond the Politics of Contempt: Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships In Divided Times.” They also publish on Substack:
TogetherNow.Substack.com.
Doug and Beth join Michele to discuss why America must be preserved and how each of us can contribute to the cause.