St. Anne, Ill. hasn't been on my mind for awhile.

But for the past two weeks, I haven't stopped thinking about it.

You see, St. Anne is a simple Midwestern community of about 1,300 hard-working folks, many of whom pay their taxes, go to church and attend the annual Pumpkin Festival come September.

In short, it's similar to a lot of communities here, where the prairie stretches halfway to forever.

I take pride growing up just outside of this town that's 65 miles south of Chicago. It's a close-knit community where people simply know each other.

That's why folks became a little unsettled when the national media descended shortly after the Iraq invasion began. The reason you live in a small town is to get away from that scene, not to be a part of it.

But they wanted to talk with the family and friends of a hometown boy who always wanted to fly and ended up doing just that for the Marines.

Unfortunately, the news they came to report was of a more somber tone.

Capt. Ryan Beaupre died when his Sea Knight helicopter crashed in Kuwait, just as the invasion into Iraq began. Since it was one of the first casualties of the war, the media wanted to get reaction from the family and townsfolk.

And it really hasn't stopped until yesterday. That's when Ryan's funeral took place.

He was a few years older, so I really didn't know him. However, in a small town, you know just about everybody, even if you grew up outside of town. The saying holds true, as I graduated the same year from grade school as his sister, Kari.

That grade school gym, where I played kickball, basketball and received my eighth-grade diploma, housed Beaupre's flag-draped coffin earlier this week. It was the same gym that people paid their respects during a five-hour wake -- an hour longer than the scheduled time.

I feel very sad and have not enjoyed writing this column. I try to avoid topics like these, because I like giving people something light to read as their weekend begins.

But this is something I could no longer ignore. Because just when you think an issue half a world away doesn't affect you, reality hits.

With no apologies. No warnings.

During these times where more questions than answers are available, one observation is clear.

Although St. Anne, Ill., has lost a native son, it's gained a hero. All who have ties to the town -- from family members, to schoolmates, to former residents -- can be proud of the sacrifice Ryan Beaupre made.

I know I am.

Dan Fields can be reached at 434-2230 or by e-mail at :mailto:dan.fields@austindailyherald.com