Laguna Loses an American Hero
By JENNIFER ERICKSON

Photo courtesy of David Vanderveen Laguna Beach residents Mark Metherell and his wife Sarah in 2004 visited a village in Oaxaca, Mexico, aided by Growers First, a group they supported that helps poor rural farmers. Metherell died in Iraq during an advisory mission last week.

To those who knew him, Laguna resident Mark Barry Metherell was a hero long before he died an honorable death in a war zone.

 

He had already left an indelible impression in the hearts of his friends.

On April 10, Metherell, a former Navy SEAL, was on patrol with the Iraqi Security Forces he was training in his role as a military advisor hired by the U.S. government, when the lead vehicle he was in was hit by an explosive device.

A memorial service will be held at Mariners Church in Irvine at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 19, in the main sanctuary. Additionally, a paddle-out at Brooks Street to Second Reef in honor of Metherell is planned for Saturday at around 4 p.m.

While his death came as a shock, his location at the time of his death was not. Metherell led by example, according to longtime friend and Laguna resident David Vanderveen. He understood that "you can't lead from the rear" and that it was important to be with his men, doing what they were doing and not instructing them from some far off perch, Vanderveen said.

Photo courtesy of David Vanderveen Mark and Sarah Metherell took a December trip in 2006 to the Caribbean's St. Barthelemy. They shared a zest for life, a passion for adventure and a desire to help others.

"I feel very strongly that he didn't die in vain," said Metherell's widow, Sarah. "There aren't many men like him out there."

 

Metherell was in Iraq in an advisory capacity because he believed the people there should be given the tools to control their own country. According to another friend and neighbor, Howard Hills, Metherell "knew what he was doing was right," and that he was in a position to help instill the skills, discipline, morale, loyalty and sense of duty Iraqi soldiers would need.

"I want people to know that Mark was really, really good at what he did and really proud of what he did," said Sarah Metherell. "He lived life focused on what he believed in."

Vanderveen agreed, explaining that Metherell could train and motivate people because he was sincere.

Metherell grew up in Emerald Bay, attended Cate School, a private boarding school near Santa Barbera, and graduated from Wheaton College in Ohio. He was an avid surfer. He began the process of becoming a Navy SEAL after college and was on active duty for eight years.

It is telling that friends and acquaintances from every phase of his life have posted comments on a web site set up for the purpose by Vanderveen (www.markmetherell.com). While the individual anecdotes and circumstances differ, the remembrances portray Metherell similarly. Childhood pals, college roommates, fellow Navy SEALS and Laguna neighbors describe him as a patriotic warrior poet who led a deliberate and purposeful life with integrity, loyalty and honor, who wasn't "churchy" but whose uncompromising faith in God informed all aspects of his life. Each told stories about how they were better individuals for the way Metherell touched their lives.

Humble is an adjective used repeatedly by friends to describe the kind and gentle man who maintained a low profile and shied away from public recognition despite his derring-do exploits.

He was a listener, rather than a talker. "He spoke with a lot of economy, so when he said something, it was meaningful," said Vanderveen.

Most friends were surprised by Metherell's decision to become a Navy SEAL. Cate classmate Colin Drake sums it up: "Sweet, mellow Mark…you mean that dude is a SEAL?" But once they did a "mental reset," as Drake put it, they began to understand Metherell's decision. Partly, he sought adventure, but he also wanted to serve.

"You have this sweet-natured, boyish guy and then somewhere along in life he had in his head that every man has a responsibility to make sure that the bullies and tyrants and pirates don't have their way," was Hills' description of his friend.

Metherell went on advisory missions to Afghanistan and Iraq, but never spoke of his accomplishments, only of the people he was there to help. "They really loved him," said Sarah Metherell. She says her home is filled with gifts sent by the people her husband met. "He really respected them and they cared for him," she said.

When news of Metherell's death reached Laguna on Friday, April 11, the number of lives he touched became tangibly apparent.

That night a candlelight vigil was held at the Metherell home, where friends and neighbors brought flowers and candles and sang "Amazing Grace" together. "I'm very thankful that we are where we are and that we have the support that we do," she said about the Laguna Beach community.

In a tribute to Metherell, neighbors are flying their American flags and the performance venue Seven Degrees began projecting an image of the American flagon the hills across from the Sawdust Festival in his honor.

While Metherell has been honored for the myriad ways he has helped others, he is particularly a hero to his wife and their adopted daughter, Cora. "He was an amazing father and he loved me in an incredible way," said Sarah.

There is a caveat for those who plan to attend the church memorial service. One of Mark's goals was to never own a suit, said Sarah, who hopes friends will carry on that sentiment and forsake formality by not wearing a suit or tie. "If they'd like to wear flipflops, that would be fine, too," she said.

Participants in the paddle out plan to meet between 3:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. at the Vanderveen's home, 494 Brooks Street. A celebration will follow at the Vanderveen home for friends and family.

For those wishing to make a donation in Mark Metherell's name, he held dear and supported two charities: Growers First (www. growersfirst.org), an organization that helps rural poor farmers through sustainable development programs, and Naval Special Warfare Foundations (www. nswfoundation.org), a fund for the widows and orphans of Navy Special Forces veterans killed while serving their country.

Metherell is survived by his wife, Sarah; daughter, Cora; parents Alex and Pam Metherell; sisters Caroline Campbell and Alison Metherell; in-laws Gail and Peter Ochs; and sisters-inlaw Kristi Young, Tori Cloud and Abigail Frederick.