Nat Geo’s “The Long Road Home” Abandon Home Episode 7 Airs December 12th
From executive producer Mike Medavoy and based on Martha Raddatz’s New York Times best-selling book, The Long Road Home relives a heroic fight for survival during the Iraq War, when the 1st Cavalry Division from Fort Hood was ferociously ambushed on April 4, 2004, in Sadr City, Baghdad — a day that came to be known in military annals as “Black Sunday.”
Over eight episodes, the event series cuts between the action on the ground in Iraq and that on the home front back in Texas, where wives and families await news for 48 hellish hours, expecting the worst. The cast includes two-time Emmy-nominated actor Michael Kelly as Lt. Col. Gary Volesky; Emmy-nominated actor Jason Ritter as Capt. Troy Denomy; Kate Bosworth as Capt. Denomy’s wife, Gina; Sarah Wayne Callies as LeAnn Volesky, wife of Lt. Col. Volesky; Noel Fisher as Pfc. Tomas Young; and Jeremy Sisto as Staff Sgt. Robert Miltenberger.
In episode 7 “Abandon Hope”Jon Beavers tells the story of the soldier he was portraying – Sgt. Eric Bourquin, who also served as an adviser on the series. Bourquin makes a final desperate bid to contact helicopters and get the soldiers rescued, while the families receive further news from Sadr City.
Sgt. Eric Bourquin, who survived the real ambush spent time on set for the series as an adviser and for actor Jon Beavers this was a humbling experience. Jon has done an amazing job portraying a man who was desperate to save his troops with ammunition low and the situation grim as he tries to signal for rescue. The final battle to come is both inevitable and unavoidable. Jon did an outstanding job embodying the essence, spirit, and determination of Sgt. Bourquin and one can only imagine the emotional toll that kind of performance can have on an actor. Sgt. Bourquin has to keep his troop safe at any cost and the burden that comes with that responsibility is enormous and quite frankly it is one most individual will avoid. Sgt, Bourquin survived the ordeal and we are thankful for his service and his willingness to be on set as an adviser, a position that must have been very difficult to face.
“The Long Road Home” is not an easy series to watch but it is necessary to watch because it brings us front and center with the horror of war and its terrible aftermath. hope all of America will take the time to watch this dynamic, heartful, painful journey of “The Long Road Home”.
” The Long Road Home” -Episode 7 Abandon Home airs on NatGeo on Tuesday, December 12th at 10/9c
