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But the fight -- and the hefty price -- to fend off terrorists around the globe lives on.

Just yesterday, for example, eight more American soldiers were confirmed dead in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Sad, but let's face it, we've become numb to the numbers. As civilians we don't have a grasp on the motivation or goal of the so-called wars and have become oblivious to military deaths in America's effort to "win."

Since the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775, more than 2.5 million Americans have been killed in combat.

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While former Cowboys teammates Roger Staubach and Everson Walls prepare to speak at Springs' funeral in Carrollton on Thursday, the ex-running back, who died of a heart attack while in a 3 1/2-year coma last week, is still being represented furiously by a Dallas lawyer determined to get his wife and family financial compensation for what he believes was "reckless and heedless disregard for human life" by Medical City and a team of doctors.

In this case, the price of pain, suffering and death could be around $2 million.

In October 2007, Springs went to Medical City in Dallas for surgery to remove a cyst from his left forearm, only to lapse into a coma when his brain went without oxygen while being administered anethesia by Dr. Joyce Abraham, who was working under the supervision of plastic surgeon Dr. David Godat.

In the wake of Springs' plight, his wife, Adriane, sued the doctors and Medical City for medical malpractice and the case was in and out of the 14th Judicial District Court of Dallas County since last August. In her petition, Adriane alleges that Abraham was negligent in failing to "perform a proper pre-operative evaluation" of Ron and in "failing to select the appropriate method of anesthesia."

Said Abraham's attorney, Bill Chamblee for my cover story from March 2010: "This was just one of those sad, unforeseen cases where the 1 percent risk in surgeries makes itself present. While I agree that Mr. Springs would be alive today had he not had the surgery, there are some questions we want answered that are simply unanswerable."

Countered Springs' attorney, Les Weisbrod: "The defendants want to drag this thing out because it will become a lot less expensive for all their insurance companies if Ron just passes away. Well, guess what? Ron Springs isn't going to die. He's fighting, and we're going to fight for him."

So ... where does this thing go from here?

RIP, Ron Springs

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After dying on Oct. 12, 2007.

I wrote about Springs' sad plight in a March 2010 Observer cover story. But you already knew his tale.

Former Cowboys' running back who became a national poster boy -- along with Everson Walls -- for warm-n-fuzzy feelgoods when he was on the receiving end of America's first kidney transplant between pro teammates.

After the transplant and a Diabetes-related leg amputation had previously gone smoothly at Dallas' Medical City, Springs in '07 went in for what all involved figured would be a smooth, easy procedure to remove a chronic, necrotic wound on his left forearm near the elbow (a Band-Aid covered it in the above photo from Sept. '07).

This is the part where you repeat the old line: It's only minor surgery if it ain't happening to you.

Don't worry," Springs tells his wife, Adriane, on the afternoon of October 12, 2007, "we'll be home in time for dinner."

Springs never left the hospital.

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Back in July I told you about friend and fantastic basketball coach David Milson, one of the happiest people I ever did meet. Lung cancer finally got the best of him, as the former Cedar Hill High School basketball coach has passed away.

After retiring last April after 23 successful years - 676 career victories and two Class 5A state runner-ups in 2004 and 2009 - at Cedar Hill, Milson discovered his latest cancer. Having been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma at age 15, he lived to be 53.

Milson's daughter, Rylea, plays basketball for Midlothian and his son, Tanner, is a freshman on the team at UNC-Wilmington.

We've lost one of the good ones.

R.I.P, Ernie and Elisa

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Today I come bearing bittersweet news: The driver of the white pickup, whose recklessness was the first domino that caused the accident, has been arrested and charged with two counts of manslaughter. Doesn't bring my friends back, but at least their deaths are no longer punctuated with a question mark.

Richardson police have arrested 18-year-old Sterling Mitchell of Plano. This is why:

According to updated accident reports and a conversation I had this morning with Richardson Sergeant Kevin Perlich, a group including Mitchell and a group including Dallas' Michael Pyburn engaged in an altercation on September 18 inside the Verandah Grill and Lounge at 75 and Spring Valley. The disturbance spilled into the parking lot and, eventually, onto 75 north.

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I'm digging into an Observer cover story on metroplex motorcycle clubs/gangs and he, being a member of the Dirty Bastards, invited me to a sort of meet 'n greet with his crew. Seems one of their members was recently involved in a crash, and they were holding a bikini car/bike wash to raise him some cash.

Early Saturday I texted Ernie to double-check the time. But he didn't text me back. He'll never text me back.

Ernie Santos and his wife, Elisa, were killed around 2:15 a.m. Saturday morning in a motorcycle crash on Central Expressway.

According to friends who were riding with them and Richardson police, a white pickup - yep, a white truck - was driving erratically on 75 north. For no apparent reason the Mitsubishi Strada then stopped in the middle of the highway. A Lexus swerved to miss the truck, but Ernie and Elisa couldn't miss the Lexus.

Inexplicably - criminally - the white truck that commenced the chain-reaction of chaos then drove off. Elisa died at the scene. Ernie passed away from his injuries the next afternoon.

The Santos family - Puerto Rican and as close as any group I've ever been around - is strong. Still, it's difficult explaining to Ernie and Elisa's 13- and 5-year-old daughters that mommy and daddy won't be coming home.

Ever.

UPDATE:

If you want to donate funds to either of the daughters:

Bank of America

TX UTMA (Uniform Transfers to Minors Act)

Accounts: Loran Patterson (13) or Lacey Santos (5)

I had a couple people recently make fun of the fact that I wear a Livestrong bracelet.

"Those are out of style," the jab went.

To some it's a fad I guess. But to me it's a reminder of a couple people who are - fashion trends be damned - still battling cancer. Unfortunately, I've got another reason to keep going strong with Livestrong.

I've only hung around David Milson a couple times, but I was always impressed at how optimistic, how chipper and how lively he was.

Now it's time to return the favor. Because while battling lung cancer, the former Cedar Hill High School basketball coach needs a lift.

His spirits should be at least temporarily boosted Monday when family, friends and colleagues hold the David Milson Charity Golf Tournament at Tangle Ridge Golf Club in Grand Prairie. Trust me, you won't spend a better $75 all year.

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An 87-year-old World War II Navy vet was being honored for his generous blood donations out at Texas Motor Speedway over the weekend when an accident on the track resulted in his death.

Don Krusemark was a passenger in a corvette -- part of the Texas Driving Experience -- at TMS when the professional driver apparently lost control of the high-speed car and crashed into the wall, killing him.

Played baseball at Texas Tech and with the Fort Worth Cats. Was a superb golfer. And, when he found time from being a devoted family man to wife and two kids, he got out and ran.

Sunday he dropped dead. At age 32. Literally seconds after crossing the finish line of the 13.1-mile half-marathon on Greenville Ave., Austry grabbed a bottled water, took two steps and collapsed. Never to be revived. Gone. Just like that.

Cue the chill bumps.

My annual physical check-up is scheduled for this afternoon. In the wake of Austry's death, it couldn't have come at a better time.

I watched it. Not for morbid entertainment, of course, but for education. As in, what went wrong?