[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
[December 22, 2007]
[Pages 1590-1591]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's Radio Address
December 22, 2007

    Good morning. Christmas is just a few days away. As Americans gather 
around the tree with family and friends, we remember the soldiers, 
sailors, airmen, marines, and Coast Guard men and women who will be 
spending this holiday far away from their homes and loved ones.
    America is blessed to have men and women willing to step forward to 
defend our freedoms and keep us safe from our enemies. We are thankful 
for their courage and their dedication to duty. We pray for their 
safety, and we wish them a Merry Christmas, wherever they serve.
    America is also blessed to have military families willing to 
sacrifice for our country. The husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, 
sons and daughters of those in the military serve our country as well. 
For many of them, service means packing up their belongings and moving 
on short notice, or living in a different country for a time, or missing 
a family member as he or she serves overseas. And this Christmas, many 
will sit down for dinner thinking of their loved ones half a world away. 
These families deserve the thanks and the prayers of our whole Nation.
    Some military families are helping loved ones recover from injuries 
sustained in combat. These families are a special source of hope and 
strength for our wounded warriors. Through their encouragement and 
devotion, they help heal the body and the

[[Page 1591]]

spirit, and they remind our wounded warriors that our Nation stands 
behind them.
    Other military families have felt the pain of losing a loved one in 
battle. This Christmas, we hold them in our hearts. We lift them up in 
our prayers. And we are inspired by the example that many of these 
families have set by turning their grief into extraordinary acts of 
compassion and love.
    One such inspiring example is the family of Army Specialist Michael 
Rodriguez of Knoxville, Tennessee. During his deployment in Iraq, 
Michael often wrote home to his family about the children he met on 
patrol. In April, Michael was killed by a suicide bomber. Now his family 
is honoring his memory by helping to collect school supplies for 
students in an Iraqi school for girls.
    We are also grateful for Kirsten Yuhl-Torres of San Diego, California. In 2006, Kirsten lost her 
son, Sergeant Joseph Perry, in Iraq. To honor Joseph's memory, she 
started sending care packages and writing letters of support to other 
soldiers serving there. Kirsten says, ``Joe was our only son, but now we 
have hundreds.''
    Our Nation is also inspired by Bob Lehmiller, whose son, Sergeant Mike Lehmiller, was killed in 2005 
while serving in Afghanistan. To honor his son, Bob created Mike's 
Guardian Eagle Foundation. The foundation gives financial assistance to 
military families who need extra help when their loved ones deploy or if 
they're wounded or killed on the field of battle.
    All these families have already given so much to America, and yet 
they have found a way to give even more. We thank each of them. And we 
thank every one of our citizens who supports our troops with letters and 
donations or prayers.
    At this time of year, we acknowledge that love and sacrifice can 
transform our world. The miracle of Christmas reminds us that God's 
grace is revealed in the humblest places. Two thousand years ago, the 
fullness of that grace was found in a tiny manger, and the life born 
that day changed our world forever. As Christmas approaches, Laura and I extend to all Americans our best wishes, and we 
hope every family is brought closer together during this season of 
reflection and rejoicing.
    Thank you for listening, and Merry Christmas.

Note: The address was recorded at 7:30 a.m. on December 21 in the 
Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on December 
22. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on December 21, but was embargoed for release until the 
broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of this address.