A U.S. Army captain took a praying mantis as a sign that a fallen soldier was still with him.
It was Aug. 15, 2019, the day that Staff Sgt. Andrew St. John died when the Humvee he was driving rolled over in Fort Hood, Texas, where he was stationed. That day, a praying mantis landed on the leg of U.S. Army Captain Harvey Studer and stayed there for hours. Even though St. John’s life left his body that day, at just 29 years old, Stutter said he felt he was still there.
“That praying mantis stayed on my leg from 6 p.m. to after dark. I wanted to see how long it would stay on me; it stayed on my leg the entire night,” Studer said. “I said ‘Hi, Andrew.’ That was the day he left me. He wanted to let me know he was still there.”
On Wednesday, lifelong friends, family members, fellow members of the U.S. Army, and members of the Nineveh Volunteer Fire Department, where St. John trained to be a firefighter, gathered to celebrate the unveiling of a memorial plaque at Central Nine Career Center. St. John attended the vocational school as an adult, earning EMT certification in 2018 and fire certification last year.
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Those who spoke recalled the levity of St. John’s personality. He was always the one to crack a joke and make the people around him smile.
“He was a dedicated, motivated, goal-driven family man,” said Dustin O’Neal, who was Nineveh’s fire chief when St. John joined the department. “He was always looking for ways to help others. Anyone who had the privilege of meeting him came out better. It was impossible to be in a bad mood around the guy. He was always so positive.”
St. John was the type of person who stumbled into your life by happenstance, and made a permanent impression, Studer said.
“Some people I meet I would want to forget, some are the spur of the moment, and then there’s St. John,” he said, comparing meeting people to getting tattoos. “You couldn’t plan it if you tried, but you spend a lot of hours with it and wouldn’t want to get rid of it. We will never forget the impression he had on us.”
During his time in the Army, St. John completed two tours of duty, in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Retired Adjutant Gen. Martin Umbarger.
“It’s now been 19 years since 9/11 and 11 years since Andrew raised his hand to volunteer,” Umbarger said. “He was a special man and his service and ultimate sacrifice of giving his life cannot and will not ever be forgotten.”
The contributions St. John made to the military made the lives of the about 330 million people living in the United States better and safer, said Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (R-Indiana), who attended the dedication.
“That’s a mighty big ripple,” Hollingsworth said.
“The impact Andrew made on those he met was profound and large.”
Whether in fatherhood, marriage or military service, St. John brightened the lives of those around him, said Christian Kelley, a friend of St. John’s since childhood.
“I can’t count the times he would brighten my day with a good laugh. There wasn’t a time I couldn’t call or text him if I was having a bad day,” Kelley said. “No matter what capacity or time in life you knew Andrew, he was dedicated. He was a dedicated father, husband, firefighter, leader, soldier, the list goes on.”
St. John lived a life of service and was always there for people who needed him, said Dana Conley, his stepmother.
“I can say I don’t know if I’ve ever met anyone who impacted so many people’s lives,” Conley said. “He had the biggest heart for those he loved and cared about. For those who were in need or hurting or needed a friend, he was there, he would listen, he would help with manual labor; whatever you need. Andrew was there. He was encouraging, optimistic and you knew he genuinely cared about you when you were in his presence.”
