Last Kiss by Remington Savage

This is a story of two men whose life choices collide in the Mojave Desert—one pays the ultimate price, while the other is left to wrestle with the weight of having taken a life in the line of duty.

Many of us, whether in the military, law enforcement, or business, find ourselves in situations where duty demands difficult decisions—decisions that alter not just one life, but the lives of everyone connected to it.

For me, it wasn’t life or death in the moment, but the consequences were just as real. As a young manager, I had to enforce company policy, suspending an employee without pay for three days. The next infraction meant termination. While on suspension, they made the decision to end their own life.

I didn’t pull the trigger—but 25 years later, I still carry the weight of that moment. I often wonder: What if I had asked more questions? What if I had taken the time to understand? Could a moment of kindness have given them the hope to keep fighting?

Some choices stay with us forever.