On the Death of Senator John McCain–Ch, Col Mike Sproul

As I watched the 161st Arizona Air National Guard “Copperheads,” my old Air National Guard unit, stand at attention as the late Sen. John McCain boarded his final flight out of Arizona, my mind flooded with many memories of him.

Sen. McCain moved into my district as a Reagan Republican and ran for the House in my home district in 1982. He was my first vote when I was 19. His first home in Arizona and the home I grew up in were less than two miles apart. He came to speak more than once at the church where I grew and I now pastor. Dr. Singleton, our founding pastor, was his friend. They talked politics and religion quite often.

I was sitting at lunch with Dr. Singleton’s widow this past Sunday; she recounted numerous lunches between the McCains and the Singletons in Tempe and Washington, D.C. back in the 1980s. Mary told me that each year when the Singletons visited D.C. for the American Association of Christian Schools conference, then Congressman McCain would always invite them into his office for a chat about their children and politics, as well as the Lord.

Senator McCain gave Dr. Singleton a very strong testimony of his faith in Jesus Christ. I remember Dr. Singleton telling me in the late 1990s exactly how John McCain had related coming to faith in Christ through the trial of his years in captivity in Vietnam. Dr. Singleton was very convinced that Sen. McCain knew Christ as his Savior.

At a personal level, because of friendships I formed years ago, Sen. McCain found out that my son was an avid hockey fan. He was away in D.C. for the end of the Coyotes season, and he gave me his tickets to the last game of the year in 1998 against the St. Louis Blues. My son was enthralled. Sen. McCain’s seats were center ice about eight rows up, just above the glass. I would say they were the best seats in the house. My nearly nine-year-old son couldn’t believe he had those seats and that a senator had given them to him. Normally, when his dad took him to a hockey game or a basketball game, we were in the last row. He has never forgotten the hockey game that Senator McCain provided for him.

There aren’t a lot of people who can say they voted for John McCain in his first primary bid for Congress and his last Senatorial race, but I can. As with any politician, I would not agree with every vote he cast, but I am proud that I had John McCain for my Congressman and Senator for 36 years.

Grace and Peace,

Ch, Col Mike Sproul, USAF

State Chaplain

Arizona National Guard