Pay-It-Forward in Loving Memory and Make Someone Else’s Day

Tami Mielke would have loved being part of a "Pay-It-Forward Day." She was a giver and a doer.

As a wife, mother and member of the South Dakota Air National Guard she was very familiar in the role of caring for others. During her time in Baghdad, Iraq in 2010 her mission was to take care of active-duty and reserve troops. Her tenacious dedication to that mission, earned her the nickname, "Bulldog."

Another part of Tami's duties in Baghdad was the handling of mortuary affairs, which involved processing bodies as well as organizing the return of deceased loved ones to their families. Memories of those obligations, in addition to the anxious nightmare which Baghdad was while she was there, led to Colonel Mielke's spiral into depression and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), which ultimately led to her death by suicide.

She was well-known for perpetrating little acts of kindness on family, friends, acquaintances and even complete strangers. A cup of coffee, an encouraging note, a small gift, a cupcake, all of these were small ways she let people know that they mattered.

Now in her honor and in loving memory, Wednesday, June 24, 2015 is a "Pay-It-Forward" day in Sioux Falls. If you received a wonderful gift, no matter the size, please do a kindness for someone else and then post what you did with #tamiskindness on Twitter so Tami's family will know.

To learn more about Colonel Tami Mielke read this moving article from the Argus Leader's Steve Young and for more info on this event check out #tamiskindness on Facebook and Twitter.