{Ultimate Sacrifice}

A 24 year old soldier from Commerce was killed in Iraq last week, Chad is doing the funeral. This funeral has brought out a lot of emotion in our house, my eyes water every time I think about it. All I think about is his wife and two kids that said good bye to him a year ago and won't ever speak to him again. Chad said that the outpouring of support is amazing and there is nothing like a military funeral.

*All photos from Mainstreetnews.com

The military plane flew in to Athens yesterday and Chad took the family to the airport. They parked on the runway and the plane pulled right up to the hearse. They got a motorcycle processional to take them from Athens to Jefferson, through Commerce. The respect that the people of Jackson county and Athens paid this man, that they don't know, is so amazing! People lined the streets with signs and flags, the Commerce Middle school came outside and the band director stood on the hill playing TAPS as they drove by. The Commerce and Jefferson fire departments brought out their ladder trucks and crossed the street with their ladders with flags waving. People saluted as they drove by, strangers wept for this man. 

I am sure that his family and the soldier from his unit that traveled with him were touched by the support and I am so proud of my Chad being a part of this. He was an instrumental part of getting Sgt. Whitehead the respect he deserves.

RIP Army Sgt. Shaun Whitehead, thank you