It has been said that a soldier dies twice — once when they take their last breath, and again when someone says their name for the last time. U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Christopher Cable was killed in action on March 27, 2013, while providing security in the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan. After 10 years, his parents Vickie and Raymond Johnston are working to ensure their son is not forgotten.
“The main thing is I want Michael remembered because I really didn’t grieve him,” Vickie said. “When he first was killed, we didn’t understand what was going on. All of the sudden I just realized this was happening. It’s just all of the sudden hit me.”
Vickie shared with a few friends in the veteran community that she was struggling with her grief over her son after 10 years. In a show of support, local veterans, community members, and musical artists came together on April 27 at VFW Post 696 to celebrate Cable.
Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson delivered an official proclamation and Daviess County Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen shared a certificate of recognition, both declaring March 27, 2023, as Sgt. Michael Christopher Cable Day. U.S. Navy veteran Robbie Holder and fellow musician Andy Brasher shared a song the two had written, titled “Sgt. Cable,” inspired by Cable’s own words and those of his longtime friend Dallas Tipton.
“I’ve met and come to know Sgt. Cable’s family over the years since he was KIA, and you can see the reflection of what a good man he was through them — and just how large that sacrifice was,” Brasher said. “He was brave and didn’t think twice about putting himself between the enemy and our country.”
Cable was born on May 17, 1986, in Philpot, where his fighting instinct took shape at a young age.
“He was a good kid — he had a rough life,” Vickie said. “He lived with me since he was 18 months old. We adopted him when he was 9.”
As foster parents, Vickie and Raymond said they have raised hundreds of children over the past 50 years, including one child belonging to Vickie’s brother, one belonging to her sister, and two of her grandchildren. Cable was her sister’s son.
“It’s different because I raised him and he seems like our kid,” Vickie said.
Vickie recalled that as a young boy Cable had a love of sports, especially running.
“I remember when he was little he played T-ball,” she said. “He could never hit that ball, but he could run over there and get that person out every time.”
Cable’s love of running stayed with him through high school, where he was a member of the Daviess County High School cross country team, and continued through college and into the military.
“Even when he went into the Army, they sent us a VCR tape … where he said he was still No. 1 in running,” Vickie said.
While Cable continued to devote himself to the Army’s 101st Airborne, he still maintained close ties with the people back home.
“Michael was very dedicated to the 101st Airborne,” said Cable’s best friend, Matt Gray. “One of his goals was to become an Army Ranger, which he accomplished and he was really proud of that. He had a lot of pride in being associated with such a prestigious unit.”
Gray also grew up in Philpot and knew Cable most of his life, the two attending the same elementary, middle, and high schools together.
“I met him in the fourth grade,” Gray said. “I was the nerdy kid with no friends; he was popular and played sports. He could have easily picked on me and bullied me, but instead he defended me and was a good friend to me. He taught me how to really appreciate everything and how to have confidence.”
According to Gray, the two remained incredibly close when they grew up, even after Cable left for the military. Cable often spent time with Gray’s family while he was home on leave. Gray recalled Cable’s demeanor after his first deployment to Iraq, and before leaving for Afghanistan.
“He talked about the dangers over there, how he had to stay focused and keep his head on a swivel. He said it was part of being American military,” Gray said. “It was a little tougher on him going back that second time. He kind of had a sense that his second tour felt a little more dangerous, that’s for sure.”
Despite knowing it was a possibility, Gray was devastated by the news that his best friend had been killed in action.
“You always know the risk is there, that they could pay the ultimate sacrifice, but it’s never a reality,” Gray said. “Whenever I first found out, the first emotion that came through me was complete shock. It really didn’t resonate with me until I spent time with Vickie and his family. I will never be able to shake the grief and anger of how he died. It was not a traditional loss of life in combat, it was an isolated incident in his unit and he was the only one who died.”
Gray said the pain of losing his friend has stuck with him for years.
“You have to learn to move forward with your life and not let that traumatic event define your path forward,” Gray said, adding that he finds peace in small reminders of Cable.
The family has a section of their dining room dedicated as a memorial with personal objects of Cable’s, including his sunglasses and dog tag. Gray said he also visits Cable’s gravesite periodically and takes his two children to visit as well.
“I feel a spiritual connection with him,” Gray said. “We weren’t family by blood, but he was a brother to me.”
The most precious reminder Gray carries of his best friend is in the middle name of his oldest son, who was born 9.5 months after Cable’s death. Gray became aware he was having a child just weeks after Cable died.
“It was a blessing in disguise,” Gray said. “Being a younger man, I had trouble processing the grief. Finding out helped me get through the grief of losing Michael. My (oldest) son’s middle name is Cable to keep his name going.”
Although the “natural-born leader that people gravitated to” has been gone for 10 years now, the Johnstons, the Grays, and those close to Cable will continue to keep his memory alive, no matter how difficult that might be.
“I didn’t understand why after 10 years, it would drive me crazy so much — thinking about him. I thought it was over with,” Vickie said. “I love him so much, it hurts. But he became somebody. He was a hero.”
