Death can be a terrifying thought if you have no one left to live out your legacy.
Being forgotten to the sands of time can be a very unnerving thought for many. Even worse is when a veteran that has been forgotten after they had dedicated their time and risked their lives to serve our country. Far too few do little to honor our brave and fearless veterans.
That’s why a story like this one is so important, because it shows that even though far too many people do not respect the sacrifices our veterans make for us, that there are still those incredible few who will go above and beyond to honor the legacy of our veterans.
Jerry Wayne Pino was a 70-year-old veteran that had served in the Vietnam war. Although Jerry had lived a nice, happy life, when he died on December 12, 2016 there was no one left so continue his legacy.
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No family or close friends to bury and help keep his memory alive. Jerry had died alone even though he had bravely served our country when we needed him most. Jerry lived an isolated life without much socialization even among his neighbors. Very little information is known about the Jerry Wayne Pino and we may never know his true story. His obituary is very short and curt, perhaps like himself.
Mr Pino, age 70, passed away Monday, December 12, 2016.
Jerry had arranged a funeral for himself prior to his death, paid for and all, but tragically he had no pallbearers. Pallbearers are the surviving family and friends of the deceased that carry the casket to the burial site.
When the funeral home where he had arranged his funeral learned that he had no surviving family or friends, a fellow military veteran at the Riemann Family Funeral contacted someone who would be able to find six people to be the pallbearers for a man they never even met before.point 231 |
All six young men were from the local Long Beach, Mississippi community, but none of them knew of Jerry Wayne Pino.point 95 | Instead all they needed to know was that a military veteran needed their help and they immediately took it upon themselves to honor him.point 208 |
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The six teenagers, Bailey Griffin, Joseph Ebberman, JT Tripp, Jake Strong, Kenny McNutt, and James Kneiss were the six teenagers from a local high school. All six of them showed up on the Tuesday morning of Jerry’s burial and helped lay him to rest.
Many, including JT’s own mother were very proud of the six teenagers for this honorable deed.
Proud mom when [JT] told me that no one should be buried without people who care present, especially a veteran. Exposure to patriotism and respect comes from the home, schools and community. Proud of all these boys!
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After the six young men carried the casket the honor guards from the Navy then folded the American flag that was laid on top of the casket. This flag is to honor all veterans who have served our country. The flag was given by the funeral home director to the six teenagers for their kindness and respect for the veteran.
Four of the six volunteers played on the high school football team and decided it would be best for the burial flag to be stored on the locker room wall. Not much may ever be known about Jerry Wayne Pino, however that high school football team will never forget him when they pass by his burial flag before every game.
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Tell us what you think down below! Would you have done this for a stranger you never knew? Do we too often forget about the veterans who have sacrificed for our country and the freedoms we enjoy daily?