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Mainers collect to help a veteran who thought he would have nobody at his funeral service.
AUGUSTA, Maine — Veteran Linnwood Ray was set to be buried within the Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Augusta with none pals or household current.
“He wished one thing easy,” funeral director Joseph Kiley mentioned.
Kiley deliberate to carry a small service for Ray, however when he arrived, he was shocked to seek out over 100 individuals within the cemetery able to honor Ray’s life
“I really bought a message from a fellow homeschool mother saying that this man didn’t have any household and it was compelling to me to return out and help him,” Alicia Lawson mentioned. She mentioned she introduced her three sons to the service to show them about freedom and the half veterans play in preserving it.
Mom and daughter Mary Ellen and Kat Pinkham arrived on the service anticipating to see few others.
“I got here anticipating that maybe Katie and I have been going to be the one ones right here, however what a blessing it was to see so many individuals right here,” Mary Ellen Pinkham mentioned.
Kat Pinkham was simply as shocked as her mom to see the turnout, sparked largely by social media.
“I’m dumbfounded and speechless concerning the turnout for as we speak,” she mentioned. “I believed I used to be going to be the one individual that confirmed up, however by no means doubt the veteran neighborhood.”
“He really thought that he was leaving the face of this Earth alone and are available to seek out out his brothers stood behind him and helped burry him,” fellow veteran Warren Ard mentioned.
Lawson hopes that her sons picked up on that help from Ray’s fellow veterans.
“I simply suppose it’s actually essential to point out our youngsters the approach to life that they dwell now’s due to these individuals,” she mentioned. “With out their service we wouldn’t dwell in freedom now.”
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