Loss of a Ranger: Saw Black

8 October 2025

Karen State, Burma

Saw Black joined the Free Burma Rangers to serve his country. To help his people overcome the evil of the dictatorship of Burma. To help the displaced and those in hiding in practical, medical, spiritual, relational, and emotional ways. To learn how to navigate and survive when under attack by the Burma Army. To learn how to be a better lifesaver, swimmer, and medical provider. To learn how to shed light on the things he’s seen and report them. To learn even greater endurance, to keep going the extra miles over mountains and through rivers for others in need. He did all this through our training and was always highly motivated and very fit.

I remember his willing and cheerful spirit, always volunteering to do the extra things. I remember doing our daily runs together and our Shepherd dog Max running alongside with Saw Black and the others. I would look over and smile at him. I felt like we were family, even though we hardly knew each other. In him, I felt I had a strong and capable younger brother who was completely serious about the welfare of his people. Once he completed his training, he went on a relief mission to help displaced people. His part of the Good Life Club (GLC) program brought joy to children’s hearts, and his infectious smile made us all smile.

After a relief mission with FBR, he returned to serve in the Resistance, defending his people from the attacks of the Burma Army. He went into battle knowing that he might not come out of it alive. Knowing that he did not have to go and risk his life for others, that he could hide or run away. But he went into the battle that claimed his life, the same way he went to the training, fully giving of himself for the good of others. He died doing his best, putting everything, including his own body, on the line. He was surrounded and had no way out. He was shot, but he never gave up. His loss makes me and all of us very sad. He was not a full-time Ranger, but he was part of our family and part of the good seeds of love that were scattered back into Burma. We believe that because of Jesus, he will be in heaven, and also because of Jesus, the love he shared on earth will continue. One of our volunteers, Dave, had this to say about him:

“When I was in the army, I learned quickly about the ‘grey man.’ A grey man is someone who goes on a course or training and at the end of the course the staff have to ask themselves ‘who is this guy?’ when they see his name on an old roster. Someone who doesn’t stand out for being great and doesn’t stand out for being terrible but just disappears among the soldiers. Saw Black, despite his name, was a grey man. 

Saw Black was a true superhero. He came to our very first CDM training that we ever did. There was so much energy and emotion in that training. We had a training team that was incredible. The region near our training camp had just been bombed and we all had a sense of purpose and that this was really important when we taught. Our students were amazing. And if you were there and saw a picture of Saw Black today you might say ‘ummm ya, maybe I remember him. Maybe he was there.’

But he went home after the training and never stopped fighting. He never surrendered. He didn’t need to be colourful, he just needed to fight for what was true. He didn’t need to be remembered or helped or messaged regularly to be motivated. Truth and justice motivated him. The rest of the colours didn’t matter. He never sought attention or money, or fame. He made a difference in the revolution. Really, he did. And he’ll never be remembered after this message. No one will know his name. He’ll never be celebrated as a hero; except maybe by me. Saw Black was a superhero to me. He emulated a life I want to live. A hidden life of service to others. Let’s grieve our fallen Ranger.”

Thank you for helping us remember and grieve our fallen Ranger. Saw Black may not have “…need[ed] to be remembered…” but he is certainly worthy of memory and worthy of honor.

Thanks and God Bless,

Dave, family, and the Free Burma Rangers