“Eagleyez” is being re-released to mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, with every dollar from sales going toward a planned Soldier monument
More than two decades after he wrote a song shaped by the events of September 11, 2001, James Pietrek—a Blaine chiropractor and 1998 graduate of Blaine High School—is putting out “Eagleyez,” a patriotic piece that reflects on America, military service, resilience, and how the nation responded to hardship.
The timing of the release carries special weight: it falls on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and coincides with the 250th anniversary of the United States. Originally recorded in 2001 by Pietrek and two high school friends, the track has now been remixed and is accessible through 25911250.com.
Pietrek has pledged to give away 100% of the money from live performances and online sales of “Eagleyez” to Veterans Memorial Park in Blaine until the K-9 and Soldier statue is installed.
Over the more than two decades he has spent as a chiropractor, Pietrek figures he has cared for thousands of patients. One of them stands out in his memory.
On February 7, 2005, a Marine named Frederick walked into Pietrek’s chiropractic office in California, located just across from the San Diego Marine Corps Air Station, suffering from acute lower back pain.
According to Pietrek, Frederick wanted to try something other than going through military insurance for treatment and decided to see a chiropractor.
“Frederick told me he didn't want to go the military insurance route,” Pietrek recalled. “So, he came to see me.”
After receiving chiropractic care, Frederick later called the office to cancel the rest of his appointments. Pietrek said Frederick was then able to pass a medical exam and deploy to Iraq with his unit.
About a year and a half later, Frederick came back to Pietrek’s office.
“He said, ‘If it wasn't for your care, I wouldn't have been able to deploy. Here's a copy of a poem I wrote and the flag I flew for you in Iraq,’” Pietrek said.
The poem, titled “WHY WE FIGHT TO DIE,” became part of an experience that Pietrek says has stuck with him for years.
That encounter also strengthened his desire to link “Eagleyez” with military service and sacrifice.
Pietrek first wrote “Eagleyez” in the days after the September 11 attacks and recorded it in 2001 alongside two friends from Blaine High School, Chais Parkos on guitar and Scott Andrus on drums.
The newly remixed version keeps the original feel of that era while giving Pietrek a chance to introduce it to a fresh audience.
“The song evokes memories of where people were and what they were doing on September 11, 2001, and the feelings of camaraderie we all seemed to have in the days following,” Pietrek said.
The song opens from a personal, biographical angle, then moves into references to America’s Revolutionary-era history and eventually touches on the country’s involvement in another Middle East conflict.
Pietrek uses the bald eagle as a key symbol of America’s freedom, strength, people, and collective determination after times of national hardship. The track also raises the question of whether the ideals the United States stands for can survive repeated periods of danger and conflict.
Pietrek calls “Eagleyez” a personal love letter to America.
The release is also tied to Pietrek’s ongoing relationship with Veterans Memorial Park in Blaine and its founder, Steve Guider.
Guider coached Pietrek in football when Pietrek attended Blaine High School.
“When Coach Guider said they were going to put a K-9 statue there, I thought, okay, now people might want to hear a story about patriotism and resilience,” Pietrek said.
Veterans Memorial Park opened in 2019 on the grounds of Tom Ryan Park, next to Blaine City Hall. The park includes monuments and memorials that recognize different periods and facets of American military service, such as the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the War on Terror.
The park also has a POW/MIA monument, a monument honoring women who have served, a Gold Star children's monument, Freedom Rock, a Purple Heart monument, and benches that honor individuals who served.
The planned K-9 and Soldier statue is one of the remaining monuments still envisioned for the park.
According to Guider, the K-9 and Soldier statue is expected to cost roughly $80,000. The overall park project has a fundraising target of about $900,000, with approximately $260,000 still needed for the planned upgrades and monuments.
Guider said the nonprofit currently has around $44,000 on hand and hopes community backing will help raise the remaining amount.
Beyond the K-9 and Soldier statue, future projects include a combat medic statue, a plaque recognizing Minnesota's Medal of Honor recipients, repairs to a crack in the Purple Heart Memorial, additional signs for the park, and possibly adding a military helicopter.
“I didn't want it to be a Blaine Veterans Park. That scope is too narrow,” Guider said. “We are a Veterans Memorial Park that is in the City of Blaine, but we honor everybody who has ever served this country.”
Guider is not a veteran himself but says he holds deep respect for those who have served and sacrificed.
For Pietrek, directing proceeds from “Eagleyez” toward the park offers a way to link his music, his hometown, and the Marine who became his first patient.
“I wanted to do something that honored the people who have served and sacrificed for this country,” Pietrek said.
With the release of “Eagleyez,” Pietrek gets a chance to do just that while also helping fund the next addition to a local memorial dedicated to American military service.
About James Pietrek
James Pietrek is a chiropractor and a 1998 graduate of Blaine High School. He has been practicing chiropractic care for more than 20 years and has also kept up a long-standing interest in music.
More information about the park itself can be found on its Facebook page: Facebook.com/p/Veterans-Memorial-Park-of-Blaine-100064805256595/
James Pietrek and Steve Guider at the proposed location of the K-9 and Soldier statue at Veterans Memorial Park in Blaine, Minnesota
James Pietrek
Eagleyez
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