I met Will when he was probably about 16 and very shy. He had long curly brown hair which I trimmed  maybe an inch or two, I remember at the time  it was very important not to take too much off, because I wanted him to trust me and he was such a lovely kid.  He reminded me of my little brother in high school, who was introverted but had such a sweet side. When Jill, his mother and my friend, let me know that he was going into the military I was surprised, but my  immediate worry at the time was the shocking haircut he would have to undergo that could be traumatic. Jill thoughtfully brought him in to soften the transition and I cut his hair from almost waist length to short and spiky. It was such a huge transformation, but he seemed so very happy. He looked somehow older and younger at the same time, and I was thrilled for him. 

He was a kind and wonderful person and I wish he could’ve seen a way forward. My heart goes out to his family and friends. 

Mr. and Mrs. Kern,

My name is Zach Freese and I am a civilian employee in the 61st Airlift Squadron. I am sorry for the loss of your son and I give you my deepest condolences. I can't imagine losing any of my children so I can't imagine what you are going through. Just know that we all loved Will and I hope that you are understanding just how much of a positive impact he made on the Air Force, C-130, Little Rock AFB, and 61st Air Lift Squadron community. My wife and I will keep yall in our prayers and I hope it's ok that I provided my church with a special prayer request for you and your family. I know that support can come in different ways so I hope you know that there are many people thinking of yall every day.

I met Will the very first day he arrive to the squadron to inprocess the unit. I was one of the first members to greet him and assist with getting his squadron inprocessing accomplished so that he could become a new member of the 61st. Our relationship was more professional than most of the relationships he had here and I did not have a chance to get to know him outside of work. However, what I knew about him was that he enjoyed flying, baking, playing games, traveling, and being with friends. He had a smile that could be seen from miles away.

Although I never had a chance to fly or go TDY with him, I do have many great memories of him. Every now and then, we would talk about his love for food and his desire to become a professional baker. I have never had any of his baking but from what I have been told, he was very good at it and his baked goods tasted amazing. There was a time where we had a Super Smash Bros competition during one of our Airmen's Day events. This was the only time I played this game outside of my household since I only play this game with my two boys. Will was really good at this game and put me to shame very fast. He was on a completely different level than everyone else.

I will never forget the positive impacts he made at work and I will definitely not forget how he could lift up a room so quickly. When he wanted to, he could walk into a room and just have everyone laughing and smiling. He was loved and adored by all. Members of the squadron also gave him nicknames such as Big Kern and Baby Kern. He was called Big Kern because of how tall he was. I am a short guy so he would tower over me we standing next to one another. Also, he had a big heart to go with his tall body. Although he didn't look it, he was a very gentle giant. This is where his Baby Kern nickname came from. I don't think he had a single aggressive bone in his body.

Just like when Will came into the squadron, I was one of the last members to see him and tell him bye as he departed the squadron and the military for his new life as a military veteran. So when I found out about his death, I was very saddened by the news. I wondered if there was anything else that I could have done to make his departure memorable. However, I am glad that he was able to get his Arkansas Traveler Certificate and Going-Away Tail Flash that I mailed him and get the Tail Flash displayed on his wall. He loved this squadron and the squadron loved him.

I hope my words can find you comfort as you reflect on his life. Thank you for bringing him into this world and sharing him with us. I am glad to have known him and although my memories aren't as glamorous as others, I will cherish the memories I do have with him and I will never forget him.

My Deepest Condolences,

Zach Freese