When you visit a flea market, you can expect to find many interesting things out there…
Walter Brown was perusing one just south of Hemphill, Texas along with his wife Lanie. The couple were there to shop for a holster for Lanie’s new Walter P22 pistol, but it was a pile of flags they ended up being drawn to.
Walter called his wife Lanie: “come look at this”, just moments after looking into the flags. It turned out he’d made an impressive discovery…
In Walter’s hands was an old flag covered in writing, so the couple began to read.
It transpired the words on the white stripes were for a fallen lance corporal. TODAY reported that one of the messages read: “Fred, you were a good Marine and we will always remember you,” whilst another said: “Hey CHEEKS, wherever you are, make sure you watch over us.”
Lanie recognized the rank as specific to the Marines, as her son and son-in-law both served with them. Said sons explained to her and Walter that it was a “tribute flag” they had, which should have been included in a package to the Marine’s family after having been signed by all the other members of his platoon.
After some poking around, the Browns determined that the flag was for Fred Lee Maciel, a 20-year-old Marine who was killed in action in Iraq in 2005.
Through this information they were able to track down Fred’s mother, Patsy. Years and years after losing her son in a helicopter crash, she received a message telling her Walter and Lanie had something she would want.
The Browns were aware that such an important gift couldn’t simply be sent by air mail or mainstream delivery, though. There was no option but to present it to Patsy by hand.
“Patsy, our family feels so honored to have been chosen to find this flag,” Lanie told Fred’s mother, as the tribute flag was handed over.
“Thank you for sharing this piece of your boy with us.”
The two held a firm embrace in front of family members and loved ones at the grave of the fallen Marine. Fred had been one of 31 American servicemen killed in a crash 220 miles west of Baghdad.
Maciel said the occasion brought the entire family together, just like her son would have wanted.
“Fred was all about getting the whole family together and playing basketball or football or whatever it took to have a good time. And he did that again. The whole family was together again,” she said.
“The family has this piece of him now and my heart is finally healing.”
Watch the emotional video below:
All of our service men and women deserve respect, love and support, as do the families of those who risk and sometimes sacrifice their lives every day.
Share this story to honor Lance Corporal Fred Lee Maciel, and indeed all those who serve!
