Fighting back tears, Gregory P. Huxley, Sr., father of Pfc. Gregory P. Huxley Jr. of Forestport, who died at 19-years-old in 2003 while serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq, tried to describe the Reese Road Elementary School flag raising and garden dedication Wednesday.
“I love kids. It’s what brought me through this; my grandkids, all kids,” Gregory said following the ceremony remembering his son and Cpl. Kelly Matthew Cannan, of Lowville, who died at 21-years-old in 2005 while serving in the U.S. Marines in Iraq.
“I love the fact that people aren’t forgetting,” he added, “That makes a big difference.”
To make sure the fallen stars’ family members in attendance knew they were not alone in remembering the sacrifice, students waved flags, sang patriotic songs and bowed their heads when two plaques honoring the young men were placed in a garden in front of the school.
Another tribute came in the form of a flag presented to Reese Road by Staff Sgt. Dwayne Manley, who is the father of kindergartner Olivia Manley.
Principal Joyce Dayton read from a letter Dwayne sent in October of 2008 while he was stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan. On behalf of Manley’s task force, he sent the flag, which was flown over his camp in Kabul on Memorial Day “to honor all of our fallen comrades who gave their lives protecting our great country,” Dayton said.
“Our hope is that this flag would be a reminder to your students of all the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines and their hard work, both home and abroad, to ensure our continued liberty and security,” Manley added in the letter.
In attendance Wednesday, Dwayne and Olivia carefully unfolded and raised the flag, and students sang “We are one nation, united we stand” once the stars and stripes settled into the blue sky.
After placing the plaques, the school band played taps. And students then closed the ceremony by singing “American Tears.”
Dianne Cannan, Kelly’s mom, after the dedication used one word to describe everything from the plaques to the patriotic songs: “Beautiful.”
And like Huxley Sr., she derived great enjoyment from seeing the students. “It brings back a lot of good memories of my children when they were young,” she said with a smile, glancing at the plaque bearing her son’s name.
|
|
|
Fighting back tears, Gregory P. Huxley, Sr., father of Pfc. Gregory P. Huxley Jr. of Forestport, who died at 19-years-old in 2003 while serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq, tried to describe the Reese Road Elementary School flag raising and garden dedication Wednesday.
“I love kids. It’s what brought me through this; my grandkids, all kids,” Gregory said following the ceremony remembering his son and Cpl. Kelly Matthew Cannan, of Lowville, who died at 21-years-old in 2005 while serving in the U.S. Marines in Iraq.
“I love the fact that people aren’t forgetting,” he added, “That makes a big difference.”
To make sure the fallen stars’ family members in attendance knew they were not alone in remembering the sacrifice, students waved flags, sang patriotic songs and bowed their heads when two plaques honoring the young men were placed in a garden in front of the school.
Another tribute came in the form of a flag presented to Reese Road by Staff Sgt. Dwayne Manley, who is the father of kindergartner Olivia Manley.
Principal Joyce Dayton read from a letter Dwayne sent in October of 2008 while he was stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan. On behalf of Manley’s task force, he sent the flag, which was flown over his camp in Kabul on Memorial Day “to honor all of our fallen comrades who gave their lives protecting our great country,” Dayton said.
“Our hope is that this flag would be a reminder to your students of all the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines and their hard work, both home and abroad, to ensure our continued liberty and security,” Manley added in the letter.
In attendance Wednesday, Dwayne and Olivia carefully unfolded and raised the flag, and students sang “We are one nation, united we stand” once the stars and stripes settled into the blue sky.
After placing the plaques, the school band played taps. And students then closed the ceremony by singing “American Tears.”
Dianne Cannan, Kelly’s mom, after the dedication used one word to describe everything from the plaques to the patriotic songs: “Beautiful.”
And like Huxley Sr., she derived great enjoyment from seeing the students. “It brings back a lot of good memories of my children when they were young,” she said with a smile, glancing at the plaque bearing her son’s name.
