2025 A Look Back: God’s strongest soldiers award
In recent years, the phrase “God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers” has evolved from its originally earnest and spiritual meaning to an ironic online take on the resiliency needed, given the current state of affairs, to maintain day-to-day existence. It’s a rebuke of the idea that if bad things come into our lives, it’s because we know how to handle them — or that we must suffer immensely, with a brave face, in order to grow.
Throughout this past year, perhaps no one has embodied these “strongest soldiers” more than the Cherokee women who allegedly endured horrific abuse at the hands of ex-Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran.
By late June, Cochran had been arrested and suspended from office. By late July, he’d been indicted on an additional rape charge. His case is still making its way through Swain County and Eastern Band of Cherokee courts.
News outlets have extensively covered the saga. Most of the time, though — and especially in our true crime era — we talk about abuse through a legal lens, and not by its impact on the survivors.
So, let’s talk about the survivors.
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One enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians had a verbal altercation with her boyfriend serious enough for her to wave down law enforcement to diffuse the situation (in this case, Cochran).
According to court filings, when she got into his vehicle, crying and in need of help, entrusting him with her vulnerability and pain, the ex-Sheriff drove away and assaulted her. Even after having been violated by a member of law enforcement, she reported the offense to the Cherokee Indian Police Department.
Fortunately, her account initiated a CIPD investigation. (That’s not always the case, as police often discredit survivors.)
The investigation revealed more abuse claims from other women.
Because of Cochran’s alleged violence, these survivors are likely fighting battles they never wanted to be part of. And they will likely continue to heal from the pain he inflicted, long after the media coverage.
So, “God’s strongest soldiers” are named as such because they are living with tremendous strength — and because they shouldn’t have ever had to.
