‘God bless our hero’ - Remains of fallen marine brought home to Jackson
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- JACKSON - Hundreds of locals and tourists lined the streets of downtown Jackson Friday evening to honor one of the 13 U.S. service members killed in the Kabul airport attack.
Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, 20, was killed in August when he was manning a checkpoint in Afghanistan. He was helping the evacuation efforts.
A suicide bomber and gunman attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul’s airport, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror.
McCollum got married before he left on his first deployment. He was sent to Jordan then to Afghanistan. His wife is currently pregnant with their first child.
McCollum’s body arrived from the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware by a private charter to the Jackson Hole Airport Friday evening and was driven by a hearse. He was then escorted by police, firefighters, military, veterans, and motorcyclists.
Crowds in downtown Jackson held up signs that said “Remember the fallen” and “God Bless our Hero.” Nobody will ever forget Rylee.
“He was very hard-working, he was very driven,” said Ben Arlotta.
Arlotta was Rylee’s wrestling coach growing up in Jackson. He’s known Rylee since he was 6-years-old.
“He was always a jokester. That was the biggest thing. He walked into any room looking to make someone laugh, looking to make someone smile,” he said.
“Rylee meant a lot to this community,” Arlotta continued. “Really, the last reports of what went down in Afghanistan - it speaks directly to who that kid has been his entire life. He had the opportunity to come back on the other side of the wall and he said, ‘No we are going to stick around and save some more folks.’ And that’s exactly what he did and that’s the type of person Rylee is.”
Arlotta has been helping the McCollum family since McCollum passed away. Though he knows the family won’t be the same, he says they are doing the best they can. The McCollum family has expressed their gratitude many times to the community.
“I mean, they are a family shattered, they are a family broken. They are a very, very close family. Jim’s (Rylee’s father) a single parent. He raised all three of those kids by himself and when you remove a variable from that equation, it just doesn’t balance out anymore. Anybody would understand if you’ve ever lost a sibling or someone close to you, it changes you forever,” Arlotta said.
The McCollum family is planning to have a funeral for Rylee next month after his wife gives birth to their baby.
The other U.S. military members killed in the Kabul airport attack ranged in age from 20 to 31, and came from California and Massachusetts and states in between.
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I served 8 years in Afghanistan...31 years in total...my heart is just broken for him and all of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. My prayers are with everyone. 🙏❤️🇺🇸
Thank you for your service young man! Too young to die! My condolences to your loved ones. Thank you patriots in Jackson Hole for supporting him on his final journey home.
May he rest in Paradise. Very sorry for the family’s loss.
God bless him & his family . Thank you sir for your sacrifice.
😭🇺🇸😭🇺🇸😭🇺🇸😭🇺🇸
God let him rest in great peace! Our deepest prayers and thoughts are with this family! This never should have happened.😔💔🇺🇸🙏🏼
RIP to our fallen Solider Lance Cpl.Rylee. McCollum, America loves and thanks you.prayers to His family members and GOD be with his wife and new baby.
🙏🇺🇸🙏💞
Rip sweet rylee you will always be remembered you were to young to die you had your whole life ahead of you and because of one senseless and horrific act of evil it was stolen from you. God has you in his arms now rest sweet boy.
Rest in peace my fellow Veteran. You served your country well.
Thank u for ur service and 🙏🙏🙏for his family for his sacrifice. 😥
Sleep in peace, Marine.
OMG are those American flags!?
What a tragedy. He will ALWAYS be remembered as a hero. ❤ God Bless his family and loved ones.
Rest In Peace, Riley. Thank you for your sacrifice. May God Bless and keep your family in his living embrace, now and always. 🙏🏻❤️🇺🇸
Rest in peace and fly high angel soldier! This should NEVER have happened and ALL responsible WILL be brought to justice, indeed.
REST IN PEACE HERO...THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
Semper Fi Devil Dog and Godspeed
OEF/OIF 98-07
💜💕💜💕💜💕💜💕💜💕💜
God bless Rylee and his family, friends and to the 12 other heroes that gave their lives.
💜💕💜💕💜💕💜💕💜💕💜
Rest Easy Sir Thank you for your service 🌹
This is the real America 🇬🇧
Rest In Peace Lance Corporal Rylee McCollum thank you for your service.
RIP Respect from grateful people the ones that don’t kneel when the star spangled banner is played 🇺🇸
Thank you for your service..sorry for your families loss. 🐞🦬🐢🐢
With the angel..r.i.p.🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄🦄
God rest his soul my thoughts and prayers are with his family
May angels watch over them all
God Bless his family and RIP honorable soldier. A hero!
God bless this young fine man🙏🙏
Semper Fi Devil Dog! Rest easy brother!
R.I.P. Marine!💪 Hoo rahhh!!!😪😔👍
R.I.P legend ! 🙏🙏🇺🇸
Rest In Peace Brother
So sad😢🙏🏻
God Bless this young Marine and the other 12 Servicemen and their Families.
These People are the MAJORITY. So I have to ask the question, "WHY IS THE COMMIE left still able to destroy OUR way of life?
biden's America!
Biden didn’t call them suckers and losers, is that what is pissing you off ?
Just remember these 13 men and women did not have to die the failed leadership from the WH to the people in charge of the military caused this ! it is time we put an end to the weak leadership in our country ... For the families and friends of these 13 heroes your sacrifices can never be repaid
Seriously, East Idaho News?? Monetizing off this veteran's funeral??
I appreciate the report. It's well-done. But it's ghoulish to go after a few dollars off of Riley.
Rest in peace, young man. And a grateful country thanks you for your service.