Frankly, My Dear…

I did a post on The Amazing Race All Stars, lost it and spent time trying to retrieve it before I gave up. I will now attempt another post, although you can go to cbs.com and look it up there in greater detail!

Rob and Amber left first in Santiago, Chile, but lost their lead when their plane was delayed. There was much talk among the other teams about the whereabouts of the newlywed team!

The first task was to go into a boardroom and pick out letters that were on the ties, pads, pens, etc, of the men sitting around the table and put them together to spell the location of the next task. Most teams who were first to arrive. spent too much time looking at the men and the clue was in a picture on the wall, which spelled out the name of the copper mining co. Rob and Amber managed to catch up and advance.

The task at the mining co. was to drive a front-end loader (both members) or put a huge 2 ton tire on a machine using large lugnuts. Rob and Amber chose the loader and it worked to their advantage. Most teams chose the tire and that took more time.

 Rob and Amber got through first and headed for the pit stop at the Valley of the Dead.

There was drama between the beauty queens and Charla and Mirna. Confusion reigned over the left or right turn to get to Phil and Rob and Amber were there first, winning 2 off-road motorcycles.

Drew and Kevin were last and were eliminated.   

This is a news story that made me cry, not tear up, cry. Sometimes the unfairness in life just slaps you in the face.

Ali, an 11 year old Iraqi boy, had a rare heat disease and needed surgery. His father met Capt Brian Freeman and asked if he could help. Several months later, with the help of Gift of Life International, he had several thousand dollars and an okay for Ali to go to NY for the surgery.

The same day, Capt Freeman, in his thirties, was kidnapped in Iraq and killed.

The day of the surgery, Charlotte Freeman received her husband’s personal effects. Included was a portable video game which she gave to Ali saying that Brian would want him to have it. 

He’s always been a hero to me and our children,” says Charlotte Freeman, Brian’s widow. “Hopefully he’s now a hero to everybody else, and an inspiration to everybody else as well.”

I hope so, too. He deserves it.