Colonel Diana Shalem

Doreen Shumpert - 12/23/2007
by Doreen Shumpert

Heroes and Survivors

In any walk of life, you never know when you'll be faced with the unexpected. Such was the case in two very different and recent scenarios.
One, a tragedy that took place in our Nation's Capitol and a Pennsylvania field. The other, a surprise new life on a Kansas ranch. Although drastically different in scope and size, they are similar in their displays of courage by hard working people who "got tough when the tough get going." And, each also serve as lessons in faith, courage and a God-given ability to rise above the odds with His help—no matter what problems we face.
September 11, 2001, probably started like any other "normal" day for most people. Time to hop out of bed, grab coffee or breakfast, dress and shuttle little ones off to babysitters or school, then begin another day at the office. No one could have known that before the sun would set, the Nation would experience an unprecedented and horrifying tragedy.
Always a "horse girl," Colonel Diana Fleek was brought up in an Air Force family. Her father retired in the 60s as a full Colonel from an assignment as Chief of Security Police for the air staff at the Pentagon. Although the family lived in multiple assignment locations, Diana's dad went out of his way to keep her horseback—even arranging with the Emperor of Japan for her to take jumping lessons at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo as a pre-teen.
Naturally, Diana followed in her father's footsteps, and proudly served in the United States Air Force for 23 years, with a career specialty code in combat camera—no doubt rooted in a combination of a degree in photography from Nebraska, and a Master of Science in International Affairs, Political Science, from Auburn. Her career consisted of still and video documentation, television production, video conferencing, and communications systems design, and throughout she was stationed in seven states and Germany.
After her promotion to full Colonel, she was picked to lead what is known as the Armed Forces Innovative Readiness Training Program, located in the Assistant Secretary of Defense Office in the Pentagon. The program encompassed Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard forces—active, reserve and guard. She counts it as a "tremendous honor."
It is also a tremendous honor to reside in a country that produces such unsung and willing heroes. To paraphrase an old quote; we are the land of the free because we are the home of the brave. On September 11, 2001, a lot of things changed for a lot of people when terrorism struck in cowardly fashion. As Al Queida hijacked planes and flew them into New York's World Trade Center twin towers and the Pentagon, with more attacks planned but thwarted, heroes everywhere sprang into action. Colonel Diana Fleek was at the Pentagon, and they were yet unaware that one would hit "a little closer to home" as they say.
"By the time the first tower was hit, most of the military command activities were already activated," she explained. "We were on further alert for more activity, but unaware that a rogue plane was headed for a crash landing in the building [Pentagon]. I had already made retirement arrangements and moved my daughter, household goods and all our horses to Texas in August. It just so happened I was on the phone with her to quell any fears she might have when the plane hit," she continued. "We did not know it was a plane; it was just a very hard jolt to the entire building and an immediate fire. I told Jessica we'd been hit, that I was okay and would call her when I knew more, and not to worry. Her being a tried and true 'Air Force Angel' made her used to emergencies and loss of contact for periods of time, so she was just happy to know I was alright," Fleek added.
Approximately two weeks prior, those office areas which the plane hit had been evacuated due to renovations. While many call that "coincidence" it actually gives new meaning to another Bible-based quote—we don't know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future.
"Immediately, we began evacuation, rescue and triage," she continued. "Command Post personnel headed for undisclosed locations, medical folks arrived on site, everyone just did their jobs. No panic, no fear, we just did what we've been trained to do from the start. Our biggest challenge was the smoke. There was no way to reach the people at ground zero fire. The plane hit with such impact that all the jet fuel ignited immediately, like a huge fireball," she said. "The fortune of the plane hitting the Pentagon instead of the Capitol was the construction, as the Pentagon is solid concrete except for the roofing raters and that's where the fire continued to burn for many days," she added.
Fast forward a few years to Minneola, Kansas, at the home place of Sandie and Muriel Bonsall's bucking bull operation—June 17, 2005.
"It started out as a typical summer evening, having Rocky Patterson and his oldest son Cole traveling from Pratt, Kansas, to our place to have a couple of seasoned horses shod by one of Southwest Kansas' expert shoers, Chris McCarley," Muriel began. "Rocky holds joint titles of being the Rookie SSR and the record for the fastest time on 10 head at the National Finals Single Steer Roping Finals," she continued. "Cole competes in junior rodeos, and is an all-around competitor. He's very intense and very shy," she added.
As Rocky entertained those present with rodeo stories or humorous accounts of his children's escapades, he suddenly stopped and noticed a certain heifer in Bonsall's "Dream Girlz" herd of bucking bull mamas that was about to calve. That was a shocker, seeing as how nobody expected her to be expecting, you could say. She didn't even appear bred.
"Everyone immediately looked at the young 18-month-old heifer Deanna's Rose," Muriel said. "Deanna was one of the many in the Bonsall herd that was special. She was from a flush by Lynn Rice's outstanding female, RK 01 Tequila Rose and Houdini. She was born on my sister's birthday, so aptly named Deanna," Muriel added.
"Sandie realized the drama of the moment. We had recently synchronized several heifers unaware Deann's Rose was pregnant," Muriel said. But indeed she was, and what hit the ground looked like 25 pounds of bone in soaked white hide. But, it was alive.
"Rocky immediately took the heifer and draped her over the fence line and we all went looking for something to poke up her nose [to get her breathing clearly] and then Rocky carried her to the stall and handed her over to 9-year-old Cole to dry off. He was also given a soft horse brush and direct orders gently brush her to stimulate circulation," Muriel said. "He never complained, and maintained his enthusiasm to save her. He demonstrated great compassion for this small heifer."
Now 12 and always humble, Cole doesn't see himself as any kind of hero; he just did what needed done and what he had learned to do.
"I helped deliver her by pulling on her legs, we cleaned her off, and I wrapped blankets around her and rubbed her so she'd warm up," he said. "After a couple of hours the calf was alive so we knew what we were doing was working."
"It was heartwarming to see rough tough cowboys jump into action to save a skinny heifer from dying, like a team in a trauma unit," Muriel added.
The efforts indeed paid off, and within the time Chris had another horse shod, the small heifer was standing on her wobbly four legs. Miraculously, she was also ready to nurse, but her mama wasn't even showing an udder. Thankfully, when put in the chute and milked, she was able to supply milk for her newborn calf.
At first, it's hard to fathom a link between these two stories, but they possess some fascinating common threads and life lessons.
Bonsalls named the calf Colonel Diana Shalem. You guessed it—after dear friend Colonel Diana Fleek, who we know is a proven survivor.
"We had to think of a name that was worthy of this calf's survival instincts and heart," Muriel explained. "Colonel Diana reflected the survival instincts of our friend, Colonel Diana Fleek. We agreed such a female bucker deserved a noteworthy name. Shalem is the Hebrew word for nothing missing, nothing broken, nothing out of place," she continued. "She was perfect although born premature."
Having known the Bonsalls for many, many years, Fleek says the relationship has always been an "instant bond, and was a recognition of life-long friendship."
And, she considers it quite special to have a name sake.
"I love it!" Diana said. "Colonel Diana Shalem. What an honor. No doubt, she's the dam of many future BBB champions!"
As for the two survivors, they are going strong. The human Colonel Diana, now retired, runs a successful Quarter Horse breeding and training facility with her daughter Jessica in down in Texas—DJ Quarter Horses. They do all the breeding, training, foaling, breaking, and showing themselves, and stand nationally known sire Rocked And Steady.
"We've had loads of help along the way from those who have offered advice or lended a hand, including Sandie and Muriel, whom I think the world of," Diana said. "Next year, we'll be offering frozen semen and plan on moving into the International market," she added.
The bovine Colonel Diana is not only alive and kicking, but now a proud mama herself. Two years later on June 14, 2007, she had her first calf— a bull aptly named, Colonel Cole.
As for the other quiet hero, Cole Patterson, he has been offered all monies from the sale of his namesake by the Bonsalls as a thanks for all his efforts.
Perhaps the biggest common thread to these stories is one thing above all else—that "HIS eye is on the sparrow." ( Matthew 10:29-30). No matter where we are, what our situation is, or whether we are man or beast, each of us is always accounted for continuously and loved by our Creator. Trials, tribulations, and unexpected occurrences that come our way are part of God's plan to show us we are never alone, and that HE can bring us through if we act on our faith, and that HE sees and rewards each effort.
For more information on Colonel Diana Fleek and DJ Quarter Horses, visit them online at www.djquarterhorses.com.

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