Dear Friends,
Two weeks ago, Wednesday, Februrary 27, at one am in the
morning two Marines came to our door. The news they brought changed our lives
forever. It doesn’t seem like two weeks ago, because time stood still that
morning.
“You have many decisions to make,” the company commander
spoke to me on the phone. His soothing and assuring manner helped me gain my composure
and know that I could do what I had to do.
The past two weeks have been a whirlwind. Many decisions
were made to honor my son, Caleb.
Today I am thankful for his life. I thank Caleb for being
the giving person he always was. I honor and thank him for serving his country
because he loved it and believed in what it stood for. I know he willingly gave
all. I thank him and will always regard him in the highest of honor for being a
man of integrity. Most of all I thank him for being Caleb. Our love for him
lives on.
Our utmost thanks to so many people who showered us with
love. To so many who showed gratitude for Caleb’s life.
My neighbors on Paradise Drive lined our street with flags.
I have the best neighbors in the world. Thank you.
When, we arrived in Burlington following the funeral car,
people holding flags lined Lincoln Street, Rose Avenue, all the way to the funeral home. Your allegiance to my son’s life meant so
much.
I understand there were flags everywhere in the community.
Flags were flown at halfmast in honor of my son. Thank you everyone.
The ride to the cemetery is something I will never forget.
There were flags and people along the whole route. Children, elderly....I even
saw a couple of bull dogs – the Marines mascot. Huge flags, small flags,
children holding signs, people with their hands on their hearts, people
saluting….
There were even flags on the fence around the cemetery.
Thanks to the VFW who welcomed our Marines and us and
treated us so kindly, opening their doors to us.
Thank you to Pastor Eric Kilborn, Kirsten and Free Life
Church. Thank you to Pastor Ron Lee, Kathy and E-Free Church. To Pastor Joe
Berry and Sharlyn for commemorating Caleb on your churchsign. Thank you to
Pastor Bill Viergutz and Daphne, Jon Reevers and Jenny, Doctor Jason Barnes and
Amy – we are all the body of Christ. We were humbled and blessed by all you
have done for us.
Thank you to all who came to our home and helped make things
easier just by being here. Thank you for all the food, paper goods, and the
many beautiful flowers and plants.
Thank you to all who called and for all the prayers. I know
they have helped tremendously.
Thank you to Burlington High School – Superintendent Tom
Satterly, thank you for working with us. Thank you to all the teachers who took
part in helping make things go smoothly for the service-Eileen Jones, Andy
Salvador, Russell Gramm, Steve Poet and his class, Miss Yowell and her class.
Thank you Judy Rainbolt for watching out for us. Thank you Mason Witzel,
MacKenzie Reeverts and Jon Reeverts for decorating the halls in red, white and
blue.
Thank you to the students who lined the halls, and silently and
respectfully stood, while the Marine Honor Guard brought our flag draped casket
to the gym.
Thank you to Mason Witzel, Hudson Lee, Adily Hendricks, and
MacKenzie Reeverts for videoing and taking pictures. Thank you Susan Corliss
for taking pictures as well. These will
be priceless treasures for us in years to come. You all are wonderful. We go
way back and you all are like family.
Thank you to the Police and Sheriff Departments and the
Patriot Guard for having our backs and taking care of business.
Thank you Bryan Russell for working with us. Thank you for
standing with us and making decisions on our behalf concerning the media.
Gratitude fills my
heart. Words don’t seem adequate. I am honored to be part of a caring,
patriotic community. There is something about grassroots America, farm country
- and her heart for our military, and our country.
Our Marine family was overwhelmed by the support our
community paid to Caleb. “You don’t see this hardly anywhere, anymore.” Many of
the Marines present have been to funerals of other fallen Marines. They had
never seen such an outpouring of support and love.
We have been in touch with our Recon Marine family, and they
continue to tell us how meaningful being here was. Those who couldn’t come have
asked how everything was here. Our Recon Marines tell them about a community
who showed their respect for Caleb, and for our country. To these men, it gives
hope for our nation
The memories you lent
to these Recon Marines will stay with them a lifetime. You stood for what they
fight for, for what they are willing to lay down their lives for.
Thank you to all who came to Caleb’s service to celebrate
his life. We wanted to share the Caleb we knew. He loved his God, his family
and his country. He filled our lives with laughter and challenged us to be more
than we thought we could be– not by what he said, but by how he lived.
We plan on continuing to live that challenge.
I am proud and blessed to stand for that freedom, and am
grateful to be part of a community willing to stand and honor a man who knew
that freedom wasn’t free.
Caleb gave all.
God bless you all.
Again, thank you.
Caleb Medley’s family – George and Diane Homm, Nathan,
Josiah, Collen Medley, Melanie and Marshall Thomas
