Mom of Mountain View Iraq War Casualty Discusses Life 10 Years Later

Her calm voice quivered as she explained on KQED's Forum program Tuesday how Lt. Kenneth Ballard, her son, died in Iraq. Listen to the interview through the link above.

Karen Meredith said that on Memorial Day 2004 her family was informed that Ballard had been killed in action. However, more than a year later the Army changed their story and admitted that he'd been killed on the job by the accidental firing of a machine gun.

"It's a club no mom wants to be a part of," Meredith told Mountain View Patch in a previous interview about her designation as a 'Gold Star Mom,' a group of mothers of dead soldiers. She said this in reference to the death last August of Los Altos Hill resident and St. Francis High graduate Capt. Matthew Manoukian in Afghanistan, and the sorrow his mother would feel from that moment on.

Meredith explained that when a child loses his parents, the child is called "an orphan;" and when a spouse loses their spouse, they are called "widows."

"There's no name for a parent who loses a child," Meredith said. "Because it's not supposed to happen."

In recognition for Lt. Kenneth Ballard's service, the U.S. State government will rename the United States Post Office located at Hope Street in his honor. Patch will bring you more details when they became available.

How did your life changed as a result of the Iraq War? Share in comments.

Related stories on Mountain View Patch:

• Remembering Mountain View's Fallen
• This Memorial Day Remember to Honor Fallen Soldiers
• Fallen Army Soldier Might Get Name on Post Office
• Council OKs Support For Post Office Name
• Eshoo Presents Bill to Rename Post Office After Fallen Army Officer
• Senate Approves Bill to Rename Post Office for Iraq Hero
• Obama Designates the Lt. Kenneth M. Ballard Memorial Post Office

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