Pooler Firefighters Served Their Country, Now They Serve Their Neighbors
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From health, wellness, entertainment, shopping and the organizations that make our community the best place to live, work and play—it’s your votes that will decide the Best of Pooler 2024.
Everyone who votes will be entered to win one $100 Gift Card The winner will be chosen randomly, at the end of the voting period.
TO VOTE: Hover your phone’s camera over the QR code or visit BestofPooler.com. Polls close July 14, 2024, at midnight.
Results will be published online and in the September/October issue of Pooler Magazine.
1. Leidy Lester is a freelance photographer from Bogota, Colombia, with 8 years experience. She has traveled and worked all over the United States. One of her proudest achievements is the work she did with models and highly experienced photographers in Las Vegas.
2. Gail Parsons has more than 30 years experience writing for magazines and newspapers. She most enjoys feature writing because it allows her to meet interesting and inspiring people, and share their stories. In 2023, she and her husband fulfilled a long-held dream to move to the Savannah area and have settled in Rincon. She is also an artist and enjoys traveling and spending time at the beach.
3. Claire Sandow is a freelance graphic design and marketing professional who lives in Savannah with her husband, daughter and cat. She received a Mass Communication degree from Georgia College & State University. In her spare time, she enjoys pursuing her many hobbies, including knitting, crocheting, quilting and running.
4. Cindy Reid has been a freelance writer for over 15 years. She has been published extensively in Effingham Magazine , Pooler Magazine , and other lifestyle magazines. A native of New York’s Hudson Valley, she embodies the saying “I wasn’t born in the South but I got here as soon as I could.” She can usually be found on a beach, a boat or at a pier at sunset.
5. Laura Zielinski is a freelance graphic designer specializing in print design. With more than 17 years experience, Laura enjoys shaping stories through meaningful design. When she’s not working, she loves spending time with her husband Keith and their three beautiful children, Alli, Matt and Claire.
6. Mabel , morale officer, enjoys roaming the backyard at home, sitting for hours on the back porch and coming to the office to greet visitors and encourage the staff. Mabel loves getting treats and taking long naps in her mommy’s office in the afternoons. THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL TEAM OF
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Printing the annual Veterans & First Responders issue of Pooler Magazine is just our small way of showing our appreciation and respect for these individuals. They make lifelong sacrifices to serve us—from protecting our country to keeping us safe at home.
On our cover, we highlight three men who not only served our country but now serve their community as firefighters. Alex Aguilar, Johnathan Preciado and Daniel Anderson found the same camaraderie working at the Pooler Fire Department that they had while they served in the Army. Read more on page 10.
When a serviceperson is killed in the line of duty their families join an unenviable club: they become Gold Star families. With the support of community and philanthropy, they can begin to heal from their lifechanging loss. Jack Smith lost his father Master Sergeant Darrell Smith last year, and Gold Star Kids Support Services, a fledgling nonprofit organization founded by Marietta teen Leighanne Bryant, stepped in to help fund Jack’s extracurricular activities. Jack and his mom Jennifer Hagan appeared on the Kelly Clarkson Show in May to share the impact that Leighanne’s work had on their lives. Read more on page 26.
Life took many twists and turns for Coleen Robertson, but she never gave up on her dream of working in healthcare. Today she is Chatham County’s only full-time community paramedic, combining her EMT background with behavioral health education and intervention. Her story is on page 42.
This issue is an honor to produce because we take pride in highlighting the people who serve for causes bigger than themselves. We hope you enjoy their stories.
CEO/Publisher Pooler Magazine
From the battlefield to the firehouse, several Pooler firefighters started their service careers in the military. Upon joining the fire department, they found the same camaraderie and brotherhood they had come to appreciate in the Army.
Johnathan Preciado is a veteran of the 75th Ranger Regiment Special Operations. Coming from South Louisiana, he joined the military in 2014, had several deployments and spent his last four years on active duty as a sniper.
Before joining the Army, Preciado worked in the oil fields but felt like he wasn’t going anywhere.
“I wanted to do something more with my life,” he said. “I was 19 years old; the military was the best way to do that. Get out and get some experience and feel like I have a purpose and I’m making a difference.”
The calling to do something more in life also led Alex Aguilar to join the Army in 2011. Originally from Los Angeles, California, Aguilar spent six years in the 75th Ranger Regiment. In that time, he went on six deployments—four conducting direct action raids and two doing reconnaissance. When
“
His father was a sergeant with the Air Force Fire Protection Division and his brother was in the Military Police.
“I grew up in the firehouse,” he said. “My dad was a fireman, my uncle, my granddaddy — it was kind of a family business. I got fire certified when I was in high school, then four years in the military doing kinda the same thing, then returned to it afterwards.”
Preciado and Aguilar may not have been familiar with the firefighting when they got out of the Army but they knew they didn’t want a 9 to 5 job and they missed the military lifestyle.
“The fire service is the closest parallel I could find to my old unit as far as just the banter, camaraderie and brotherhood,” he said. “When I got out, as a civilian I was missing that purpose. I wanted to feel like I was doing something bigger than myself — helping others instead of serving myself.”
Being part of a team and the similarities to the teamwork he experienced while in the Army is what Aguilar appreciates about being a Pooler firefighter.
When I got out, as a civilian ... I wanted to feel like I was doing something bigger than myself— helping others instead of serving myself.”
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he got out in 2017, he spent three years as a military contractor before becoming a fireman in Pooler.
“I originally wanted to join out of high school, but I promised my parents I would try college,” he said. “I went and just had a good time and dropped out. I realized it wasn’t for me.”
He followed his dream to join the Army.
“I wanted to feel like I was doing something more important than just serving my own self-interests,” he said. “I wanted to be a part of something bigger than just me.”
Coming from a family of veterans and firefighters, it was no surprise that Daniel Anderson, from Vidalia, Georgia, joined the Army right out of high school. He was attached to the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Explosive unit with the 101st Chemical Company out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina before joining the Pooler Fire Department.
“Coming to work is like mini deployments with your buddies,” he said. “It’s the camaraderie and being part of a team again that you had in the military—it’s the closest you’re gonna get.”
While close, the two careers have some major differences, especially for those firefighters coming from the 75th Rangers.
The difference between infantrymen versus the fire department is the mission, Preciado said.
In the 75th Ranger Regiment, the mission was to destroy the enemy—fire service is about serving the public and civilian sectors.
“Being in the Ranger Regiment, you’re on offense, the whole time,” Aguilar said. “You’re going out after people; being in the fire department you’re on defense the whole time. You’re only going out if someone else is in trouble or needs your help. The big
difference is you’re playing defense now instead of offense. But the parallels are the camaraderie, the way you relate to each other, and just the jokes and the sense of humor is all very similar to what you have in the military. It’s kind of a seamless transition for veterans.”
Finding a home in Pooler with a work family helped make the transition from military service into the civilian world easier but it wasn’t without its challenges.
“Coming from the Ranger Regiment, I was expecting this to be easier but I quickly realized what the fire service is— it’s 1,000 simple tasks, but it’s done in the worst conditions possible,” Preciado said. “We trained for that and it was eyeopening.”
As difficult as it is, they said the challenges, especially the mental challenge, are easier for military veterans
who tend to be more self-motivated and disciplined. In the Army, soldiers are pushed daily to maintain the standards needed to complete the mission, the mindset is different in the civilian population.
“You can see it in the recruit classes coming in,” Preciado said. “I help with physical training and the guys that are veterans coming in, you can tell this isn’t the hardest thing they’ve ever done and they’re used to the mental aspects. They’re used to getting pushed and they know where their limits are. While the civilian guys that come in, if they haven’t done anything else, you can see that this is the hardest thing they’ve ever done.”
Despite his experience in the military and being a competitive weightlifter, he said Pooler Fire Academy was a gut check.
“We are known in the region to have one of the hardest academies physically,”
he said. Whenever I was coming in, getting my butt kicked every day I was like, ‘This is definitely the place I want to be.’ I really appreciate the challenge.”
From odd schedules to going from zero to 100 miles an hour, firefighting is a lifestyle as much as it is a job and it’s nothing like what is portrayed on television.
Military and firefighting each provide its own adrenaline rush but it’s delivered differently.
“When we were overseas, you knew every night when you were deployed, you are going out on target and you were conducting a mission,” Aguilar said. “The fire service—it’s definitely not like the movies where there’s big fires all the time. A lot of times, it’s much more mundane or simple medical calls
or people just needing some help doing something.”
In a war zone, they knew every day and every night what lay ahead. Now they train and prepare for the unexpected. They must be ready to go from relaxing to 100 miles an hour in an instant.
“In the military, you have CONOPs and briefings; you’re planning a mission for two days before you go on it, you know exactly what’s happening,” he said. “When you show up to work here, you might run 15 calls in one day. You don’t know what you’re gonna get and you don’t know what kind of calls they’re gonna be.”
Having been in the high-stress environment of a war zone 24/7 helped prepare them mentally for the work they do today.
The Pooler firefighters also take medical calls and often arrive on the scene of an emergency before the
ambulance does. Sometimes those calls are not all that simple. Ahead of fighting fires, those calls can be some of the most challenging.
“I had a childbirth my first week,” Preciado said. “I’ve been to combat and that was that was nothing compared to seeing a newborn baby born. It was traumatizing a little bit. I was ghost white, my eyes were wide, I panicked— very uncomfortable. Been to war, that’s fine, childbirth got me.”
While there are personal physical and mental challenges the biggest challenge facing the department is recruitment and retention.
Aguilar said it takes the right kind of person. He recalled a conversation he had with a firefighter when he was growing up.
“He said, ‘Being a fireman, you’re never going to be rich. You won’t be poor
but you’re not going to be rich.’” He said. “That’s a hard pill for a lot of people to swallow. This is a public service job. It’s a physically demanding job. You spend a third of your life away from your family. You can be very stressed out at times and you’re not going to be rich doing it.”
Regardless, they all agreed the rewards of the job far outweigh the challenges or difficulties. And they encourage any man or woman who wants to devote their lives to the service of others to check out fire service as a potential career.
“I’ve done a lot of stuff in my life as far as work and jobs but this is the first job I ever had where I wake up and I’m happy to come to work,” Preciado said. “I love when my alarm clock goes off in the morning. I wake up and I’m happy to come to work. I love my job and I love the guys I work with. ■
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Story by Claire Sandow
or Jennifer Hagan and her son Jack Smith, supporting the military is a family affair. Over the past two years, thay have both volunteered to place American flags for the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum’s Flags for the Fallen program to commemorate Memorial Day, something that has become more meaningful since last year.
Jack’s father, Master Sergeant Darrell Smith, passed away on May 9, 2023, while serving his country, making the family a Gold Star family. A Gold Star family is one that has an immediate family member who died while on active duty. Jack wears his father’s dog tags in memory of him.
“Jack always says that his dad was his hero because he fought for our country,” says Jennifer. “His dad was an Airborne Ranger, so he jumped out of airplanes a lot. When Jack was little, we used to go
into the fields and watch all the Rangers jump out of the airplane. His sacrifice for our country means a lot not just to us, but to everyone.”
As an Army ranger, Darrell deployed to many different places, including Iraq and Afghanistan. Because of the nature of his work he couldn’t always discuss where he was going, which was an added challenge for the family. His income contributed to the costs of Jack’s extracurricular activities like karate and golf.
After Darrell’s death, Jennifer was looking for a way to continue to pay for his lessons and maintain a sense of normalcy in Jack’s life. In the process, she discovered Gold Star Kids Support Services, a Georgia-based nonprofit that funds recreational opportunities and extracurricular activities for children who have lost a family member in the line of duty.
“I filled out applications for several different organizations. I heard back from one and it was Gold Star Kids Support Services,” says Jennifer. “They called me and wanted to know about Darrell and Jack and the hobbies he liked. It wasn’t too much later that they let me know that they were going to start paying for his karate and golf lessons.”f
Karate is especially meaningful to Jack because it was an activity that he shared with his dad. He has worked hard to earn his blue belt as a student at Pooler Karate and is enjoying advancing through the ranks.
At the time, Jennifer had no idea that the financial support they received from Gold Star Kids Support Services would be the beginning of a connection between two families, one that would bring them together in New York City.
Gold Stars and Gold Awards
Gold Star Kids Support Services was founded in 2022 as part of Leighanne Bryant’s Gold Award project as a Girl Scout. Leighanne’s father Jim is active in the Georgia State Defense Force and both of her grandfathers served in the military, so she saw the importance of supporting the military. She frequently volunteered at events catered to military families.
“When I was in elementary school and middle school, my dad would take me to the airbase close to us, and I would help out with the kids there,” says Leighanne. “I would paint their faces or do fun activities with them while their parents were working.”
She started researching Gold Star families and learned about the challenges they faced that went beyond the initial grief of losing a family member, including
expensive they can be,” says Leighanne. “That's why I chose to focus my nonprofit on just extracurricular activities and helping Gold Star children.”
Jack always says that his dad was his hero because he fought for our country ... His sacrifice for our country means a lot not just to us, but to everyone. “ “
financial barriers created by going from two incomes to one. What started as a community project morphed into a 501c3 nonprofit in March 2023.
“I have done a lot of extracurriculars throughout my life, and I know how
Leighanne fundraises through community events and donations and also makes presentations and pitches to organizations to gather sustaining financial support. She recently competed in a “Shark Tank”style competition and won $10,000 to continue her work supporting Gold Star families.
Leighanne’s philanthropy caught the attention of the Kelly Clarkson Show after she submitted a video for consideration for the show’s “Rad Human” segment.
“A producer reached out to us and said, ‘Kelly saw your video. She wants you on the show,’” says Leighanne. “It was very exciting.”
In the process of preparing for the show, producers asked her about some of the people that Gold Star Kids Support Services had helped. As it turns out, Jennifer and Jack were the first family to receive assistance from the fledgling nonprofit.
“I had thought it was a big organization, and they had only been doing this for six months or so,” says Jennifer. “It was awesome to find out that this was run by a young girl. She is a Girl Scout; I was also a Girl Scout, and she lives in Marietta, which is where I was born.”
The Kelly Clarkson Show
a once-in-a-lifetime trip to New York City to appear on the Kelly Clarkson Show.
“They had let us know that they were going to fly them up, but we weren't allowed to see each other because they wanted the first time meeting to be authentic on TV,” says Leighanne.
film, but being on a talk show was a whole new adventure.
“We had to stand behind a door and then it just opens and you just walk out to this crowd of people and Kelly Clarkson,” says Jennifer. “It was definitely something I've never experienced before. The whole thing was pretty cool.”
The two families met for the first time on stage, where Jennifer was able to thank Leighanne and Jim in person and Jack got to demonstrate some of the moves he learned in karate.
Before they filmed, Jennifer and Jack had a chance to tour some of New York City’s famous sights, including the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center and Times Square.
“I really enjoyed the soccer store on Times Square,” says Jack.
The two families met for the first time on stage, where Jennifer was able to thank Leighanne and Jim in person and Jack got to demonstrate some of the moves he learned in karate. The excitement didn’t end there. Both Jack and Leighanne received a laptop and $5,000 to use however they pleased.
On opposite ends of Georgia, Leighanne, Jennifer and Jack prepared for
Jennifer and Jack both have experience in acting in commercials and
“We often get pictures from the families of them doing their activities, but this is the only family I’ve been able to meet,” says Leighanne. “As soon as I saw them walk on the stage I literally almost started crying. Just hearing their story and hearing them talk made me really emotional.”
Soccer and acting are some additional interests that Jack plans to explore thanks to the support he is receiving from Gold Star Kids Support Services. The organization funds activities in six-month intervals so kids can try different extracurriculars and see what they like best.
Because of the appearance on the Kelly Clarkson Show, Gold Star Kids Support Services has received requests for support from as far away as Arizona. Leighanne is headed to the University of Tennessee this fall to begin her freshman year of college, but plans to continue operating her nonprofit while she’s in school.
“I hope to grow [Gold Star Kids Support Services] a lot more than it's already been growing,” says Leighanne. ■
Scan to donate to Gold Star Kids, or visit https:// goldstarkss.org
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As told by nominator
Tell us about his loved ones?
Mr. Gatland has been married 42 years to Alvira Williams, a 22 year retired Registered Nurse, RN, nurse born in Jamaica. The couple met in Great Britain where Alvira came to attend Cardiff South Wells Nursing School, Gatland was stationed in the Airforce. Together they have six adult children, 13 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren.
As told by nominator
Tell us about her loved one?
Brandy is a single mom of 4; veteran and attorney for military members and especially first responders. Her oldest son is now a first responder.
In what branch of the military did she serve? Army
What was her most memorable experience serving? Many cases involving wounded vets and discrimination. What advice would she give about serving her community now? Diligence against obstacles.
In what branch of the military did he serve?
Gatland Williams is a 20 year retired Airforce Security Policeman who toured over 16 duty stations, 5 being overseas in Thailand, Guam, Philippines, Saigon, Middle Pacific for the United States Airforce.
His first 4 years of service Gatlands occupation was to taking care of a training dogs to become military companions better known as a dog handler. A job he didn’t think would amount to much but after spending time and training Trooper, a German Shepherd & then Lobo, a Siberian Husky not only did he enjoy it was like a second nature when both dogs became not only excellent backup security, proficient in military police guard & defensive training tactics but also his best friends.
What was his most memorable experience serving?
Hamilton Army Airfield in Novato, California—he was stationed there twice and loves the environment and says it was the best duty he has ever experienced prior to meeting his wife. It was the only duty station he enjoyed after work which was most rewarding. The weather was amazing with some of the most green beautiful scenery he’d ever encountered. There were always plenty of activities to experience on a daily basis which, for a young Soldier was better than a staycation.
What advice would he give about serving his community now? No matter where you go there will always be a need—just help wherever you can.
Please thank these advertisers for contributing to our community and making this publication possible. If you want to be part of this list, email Jan@JDelSURMarketing.com or call 912.295.5406.
7/13: Namaste in Nature 9-10:15pm Tom Triplett Park
7/15-7/19: Mad Science Summer Camp 9am-12pm Children’s Museum of Pooler
7/25: In-Person Job Fair 10am-2pm Aloft Savannah Airport
7/25: Parking Lot Party 6-8:30pm Tompkins Community Center
7/26-7/28: Crafts on the River 10am-4pm Rousakis Plaza
8/3: Military Appreciation Grill & Chill 11am Savannah Harley-Davidson
8/5: S.O.S Survivors of Suicide Support Group 6pm Demere Center for Living at Hospice Savannah
8/10: Homecoming Savannah Voice Festival National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force
8/11: Live Like Locals Savannah Mega Market 10am-4pm Tom Triplett Community Park
8/20: People Skills for Effective Leadership: Powerful Coaching & Motivation 11:30am-1:30 pm Georgia Tech Savannah Campus,
8/23-8/25: Crafts on the River 10am-4pm Rousakis Plaza
Story by Gail Parsons
Whether she knew it or not, Coleen Robertson was preparing her entire life for the role she now has as a community paramedic with Chatham Emergency Services.
Community paramedicine is a growing form of healthcare, which concentrates on intervention and prevention.
“Savannah and Chatham County has taken that idea and put a little twist on it,” Robertson said. “We're focusing on behavioral health and getting people into services for behavioral health.”
The goal is to help people get hooked up with the resources they need. Sometimes it’s a matter of getting them to doctor appointments or responding when someone is having a mental health crisis.
“We get them to the crisis center instead of going to the hospital because the crisis center is the more appropriate place where they’re actually going to get help,” she said. “The hospitals are already overwhelmed as it is with sick people, when you add mental health crisis on top of that they don’t get the services they need.”
Chatham Emergency Services started the program in October 2023 and Robertson is its only full-time community paramedic. However, the steps to get to that position started many years ago.
Robertson hadn’t been out of high school long when terrorists attacked America on 9/11. It was at a time when she was contemplating what direction she wanted to go in her career.
“I had already been dabbling with the idea of being some sort of healthcare worker but I had kids early, so that kind of derailed college for me for a little bit,” she said. “When 9/11 happened, I definitely knew that I wanted to do something firstresponder-wise.”
happen,” she said. “Every time some weird thing happened like, my FAFSA for college wouldn't work out for some strange reason, or some document would be missing. It was always just some weird, random thing that would happen so I couldn't start that semester at school.
There was always some roadblock that would go up.”
The cards were dealt but she still held onto the idea that someday she would go into nursing. She went to paramedic school in 2012 with the knowledge that after earning that certification, it would only require about 18 more months of schooling before she was a nurse.
Community paramedicine is a growing form of healthcare, which concentrates on intervention and prevention. “ “
Her early education was in Catholic schools and she graduated from St. Vincent's Academy.
“The Sisters of Mercy were a tremendous influence on my life and the teachings and works of Catherine McAuley that were taught at St Vincent really stuck with me,” she said. “Service was drilled into me from day one, and I had amazing women to look up to in the Sisters of Mercy who really walked the walk and talked the talk when it came to service.”
A friend suggested she explore the Emergency Medical Technician route. She learned it wouldn’t take long to get her EMT certification, which would allow her to start her career and build a bridge into nursing if she chose that later. Although she loved being an EMT and went on to become a paramedic, she always dreamed of going to nursing school but fate wasn’t having any part of it.
“Every time I would attempt to do something with nursing, something would
Eventually, she accepted that she was exactly where she was meant to be and the idea of being a nurse faded.
When Robertson became an EMT, the adrenaline and the fast pace were what she expected. However, the pleasant surprise was the teamwork and attitude of the members of Southside Fire Department, where she started.
“I wasn’t expecting everybody to be such a family,” she said. “That was a first. I’d been in different employment situations and we weren’t family.”
She recalled when she went through paramedic school there was a class that talked about the different directions that certification could take someone, including paramedicine.
“I watched this whole video and was like, ‘That’s what I’d really like to do,’” she said.
As it turned out Deputy Chief Lydia McRary had been working on getting a similar program off the ground.
“She knew I was very interested in it,” Robertson said. “She had already learned the ins and outs of how to be a community paramedic and she was teaching me the
ropes. When she approached me and told me that she was going to be opening this position, and would love for me to apply, I did, and I was offered the position. This was a dream come true for me. From that day in class, this is where I wanted to be as a paramedic”
Faith and Family
Robertson’s road hasn’t always been easy, there were many times she questioned if she had made the right choice.
a burnout point because of the drastic increase of call volume since I started.”
Having five children of her own, calls involving youth are often the most difficult.
or twice a day, I think about, and they're just never going to leave my mind. Those are always the worst.”
Not all contacts are engrained in her memory in a bad way though. Some of the most positive interactions have happened since taking her new position. Among them was the individual who told her she had given them the will to live again.
When she looks at where she is today and the steps it took to get there, she said God knew exactly where he needed her. “ “
“You're always going to get that bad call,” she said. “Something happens on that call where you're going to be like, ‘I don't know if I can do this anymore.’ I have had many times where I've reached
“I don't think there's ever a pediatric call that's easy but I've had some really traumatic ones and those are the ones that stick with me,” she said. “Those are the ones that almost every day, at least once
“I don't think anything I could do, or any kind of outcome could beat hearing that come out of somebody's mouth,” she said.
Over the years, flipping the switch from passenger transport to a life-on-theline call, or the days when EMS is running non-stop from call to call, can take a toll
on a person. But her faith and family have seen her through the worst times.
“If it wasn't for my faith and my family, I really don't feel like I could have gotten through any of this,” she said. “Always knowing that I have my faith with me, 24/7, and I'm coming back to my family has really made me be able to get through some really hard times.”
Her husband Joey is a corporal with Chatham County Police Department. Her oldest daughter Madison Harwood just graduated from Georgia Southern University while her second child, Eva Harwood, graduated St. Vincent Academy this year. Daughter Lillian Harwood goes to Memorial Day School and her two youngest, Joseph and Annie, attend St. James Catholic School.
Add in her extended family, her husband’s family, and her faith in God and Robertson finds herself with, “A very good support system.”
She has leaned on that support when the job gets tough and to help her keep walking in her faith.
“I wouldn't say it ever got to a point where I didn't believe in God, but I would say I have been angry,” she said. “I didn't understand sometimes and I found a point in my life where I was extremely angry with God.”
She credits her husband for helping turn her around. When she got to what she said was the lowest point in her career as far as her mental health was concerned, it was Joey who helped bring her back. To this day, she’s not sure that she would
have continued in the job had it not been for him.
“Personally, and professionally, he was a big, big factor in my healing my relationship with God,” she said.
This was despite his own experiences in law enforcement.
“I admire him because he has been through some stuff, some really bad calls,” she said. “I have watched that man's faith, and it's never wavered. I've always loved and admired him and his faith and how steadfast he is in his belief.”
When she looks at where she is today and the steps it took to get there, she said God knew exactly where he needed her. He made sure roadblocks were up when they needed to be, and down when she had to move forward. ■
