National magazine to feature ex-Cape resident on cover

There are more flattering ways to make the cover of a national magazine.

Never a runner before the death of her husband, Jennifer McCollum is training for a marathon in the memory of the Marine who died when his KC-130R, the fixed-wing aircraft he was co-piloting, crashed in Afghanistan. Perhaps Jennifer, whose husband was a gifted athlete, could have one day made the cover of a running magazine.

A devoted mother of toddler Daniel Jr., the former Cape Girardeau resident is raising a son who will never meet his father. Yet she reminds Daniel Jr. of his father whenever possible. The McCollums had plans for Jennifer to be a stay-at-home mom. Perhaps she could have made the cover of a parenting magazine.

Jennifer once traveled to Romania to work with orphans and children with AIDS. Perhaps she could have one day made a magazine cover for her humanitarian efforts.

But, it turns out, she made the cover of Newsweek as the widow of a Marine who was killed in action, a victim of the war on terror. Jennifer, who was 15 weeks pregnant when Dan was killed, is one of thousands to mourn the 433 American deaths since the war on terror began almost two years ago after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The next issue of Newsweek will hit the stands on Monday with McCollum on the cover, holding Daniel Jr. between two other military widows. The magazine features new heroes and new victims two years after the planes crashed and the towers tumbled.

Jennifer's parents, Bill and Jenny Harkey, live in Cape Girardeau.

Newsweek's story provides details about how Jennifer found out about Dan's death and how she is coping without her husband.

Jennifer has placed a photo of Dan by Daniel Jr.'s bed, the story says.

"He said 'Daddy' before he said 'Mommy,' Jennifer told Newsweek. "I guess it's because I was pointing at the picture and saying 'Daddy,' but there was nobody here pointing at me and saying, 'Mommy.'"

The story also provides details about Jennifer's financial situation.

Jennifer could not be reached at her home in San Diego on Monday, but Bill Harkey said Jennifer is doing well financially, much better than some of the other widows.

Harkey said Jennifer has sold her house in San Diego and is building a house in Jacksonville, Fla., where some friends and some of Daniel's relatives live.

Jennifer, born and raised in a military family that moved around quite a bit, only lived in Cape Girardeau about nine months after graduating from college in Virginia in 1995.

Bill is from Senath, Mo., originally and Jenny grew up in Vanduser, Mo.

Harkey said he is proud of his daughter being on the cover of a national publication, even though the reason is a sad one.

"I wish the circumstances were different," he said. "But she's grown through this a lot. It's been a difficult time for the whole family, but family and friends have reached out in a lot of different ways. The church here in Cape and the church there have really been phenomenal."

bmiller@semissourian.com

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