Thank You

In honor of U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Joseph Kuglics, of Green, Ohio, who was killed by a roadside bomb on Tuesday, June 5, 2007, in Kirkuk, Iraq.
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Today, my two sons and I stood in the hot Ohio sun, looking down I-76 from the Route 94 overpass. We held American flags, and waited. Our eyes were focused on a hill approximately 1/2 mile east of where we stood. Finally, after close to an hour, we saw what we were looking for. Highway patrol cars with lights flashing. Cars with headlights on, and small black flags atop their roofs. A hearse carrying the body of an American hero. Car after car filled with family and friends who were processing to Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman, Ohio. And last of all, the Patriot Guard, riding their motorcycles decked out with American flags.

I never met this young man. I don't know his family. What I know of his life I have learned from articles in the paper. The articles were accompanied by photos of his grieving parents: Les and Donna Kuglics.

What I do know is that I consider it an honor to have paid tribute to Matthew, simply by holding a flag and standing in the sun. It was a small price to pay, considering the price Matthew and his family have paid.

Thank you, Matthew, for your sacrifice. May God rest your soul, and may your family know His peace as they grieve their loss.

Photo courtesy of www.ace-clipart.com


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