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Nov 21, 2008 9:34 pm US/Eastern
Veterans Give Proper Burial To Indigent Soldier
LAKE WORTH (CBS4) ―
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This group in Lake Worth made sure that the soldier in this casket didn't die as a nobody.
CBS
A cemetery is a lonely piece of property, and another hero is coming home. A black hearse carried the body of a veteran, a day that almost didn't happen.
Bruce Harris says, "The word indigent and veteran should never go together."
But for three months, they did.
In a flag draped coffin surrounded by military, is Edward Matheisen. A life that began Christmas day in 1924, and ended this past Halloween. He was 83-years-old when he died broke and alone.
Bruce Harris, with the Pantry of Broward, told
CBS4's Jim Robinson, "Anyone in that passing phase needs to be accompanied."
The Pantry of Broward works with seniors and veterans. The organization stepped up to the plate to pay for the man's embalming because no one else was. Matheisen has no family, no friends, not even a photo for this story.
The World War II veteran was going to be buried as a nobody, with only army honor guard at his side.
Fred Masters, a rider with Patriot Guard Riders says, "It is wrong that a person who served his country, and apparently landed at the beaches at Normandy, would pass away and no one is here to see him buried."
That's where the patriot guard riders come in. "We found out that there was a War World II veteran who passed away with no living family," Masters says.
The group proudly stood with red, white and blue for their fellow veteran. The American flag was folded from his coffin, and given not to a grieving widow, but handed to members of the pantry. It will fly among others on the avenue of flags in Arlington--a fitting tribute that almost wasn't.
This group of riders say it should never happen again. Another member of the Patriot Rider going by the name "Whistler" adds, "They need your support, you need to honor their service."
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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