American Flag Carried Across the Country to Marine's Daughter
PALM COAST, FL -- The daughter of a Marine who served in the Vietnam <NOBR id=itxt_nobr_0_0 style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%">war
</NOBR> received a surprise honor Sunday afternoon: her father's burial flag, hand delivered from California by the Patriot Guard Riders.
Sgt. Michael Gares died last week in Riverside, California of natural causes.
His daughter, 18-year-old Jennifer Gares, and her brother, Andrew, live in Flagler County and could not afford a plane ticket to fly out to his funeral.
During the funeral, which took place at Riverside National Cemetery, the Patriot Guard Riders stood in the family's place.
As a tradition, the serviceman's burial flag is handed down to a widowed spouse, a parent, or the oldest child in the family.
When the riders learned Sgt. Gares' family was in Florida and his burial flag was to be mailed back home, they stepped in, and organized a hand delivery.
"The way the vets feel, this is a flag of honor. It is treated with respect and a whole bunch of love from the combat brotherhood," said Ernest Tucker, a Vietnam Veteran.
For six days, the flag traveled on the back of motorcycles, from rider to rider, state to state.
Along the way, people added hand-written notes and mementos to the delivery.
The Gares family was asked to meet at VFW Post 8696 in Palm Coast Sunday for lunch and a special recognition ceremony.
Jennifer says she had no idea she would be greeted with the Riders, and her father's flag.
The Riders also gave her a plaque and notebook filled with the names of every person--nearly 1,000 signatures--who helped carry the flag. . . . .
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=143097&provider=rss
I don't why, I just found this such a sweet story. Americans are capable of such kind acts and such decency. Oh well. Read it and thought I'd share it. . . . .
PALM COAST, FL -- The daughter of a Marine who served in the Vietnam <NOBR id=itxt_nobr_0_0 style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 100%">war
</NOBR> received a surprise honor Sunday afternoon: her father's burial flag, hand delivered from California by the Patriot Guard Riders.Sgt. Michael Gares died last week in Riverside, California of natural causes.
His daughter, 18-year-old Jennifer Gares, and her brother, Andrew, live in Flagler County and could not afford a plane ticket to fly out to his funeral.
During the funeral, which took place at Riverside National Cemetery, the Patriot Guard Riders stood in the family's place.
As a tradition, the serviceman's burial flag is handed down to a widowed spouse, a parent, or the oldest child in the family.
When the riders learned Sgt. Gares' family was in Florida and his burial flag was to be mailed back home, they stepped in, and organized a hand delivery.
"The way the vets feel, this is a flag of honor. It is treated with respect and a whole bunch of love from the combat brotherhood," said Ernest Tucker, a Vietnam Veteran.
For six days, the flag traveled on the back of motorcycles, from rider to rider, state to state.
Along the way, people added hand-written notes and mementos to the delivery.
The Gares family was asked to meet at VFW Post 8696 in Palm Coast Sunday for lunch and a special recognition ceremony.
Jennifer says she had no idea she would be greeted with the Riders, and her father's flag.
The Riders also gave her a plaque and notebook filled with the names of every person--nearly 1,000 signatures--who helped carry the flag. . . . .
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/local/news-article.aspx?storyid=143097&provider=rss
I don't why, I just found this such a sweet story. Americans are capable of such kind acts and such decency. Oh well. Read it and thought I'd share it. . . . .
