An organization whose members attend funerals of members of the U.S. military, firefighters and even police, have done something so incredible for a fallen soldier.

The group, The Patriot Guard Riders (PGR), will form a honor guard at military burials to protect the people mourning from harassment, and fills out the ranks at burials of indigent and homeless veterans. They even greet troops returning from overseas at homecoming celebrations.

But sadly, they were called to duty when they received news that Staff Sergeant Jonathan Turner, who had served several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, had died a week earlier in California, due to combat-related injuries.

His mother, who was located in Georgia, was unable to make the trip to California, and the Marine Corps handled all funeral arrangements, which included shipping Staff Sergeant ashes back home to his mother.

But doing so meant his ashes would be shipped in a Fed Ex box, and the Patriot Guard Riders were not having that. So they created a caravan to personally escort Sgt Turner’s remains all the way across the country to his mother.

The operation included hundreds of volunteers, and thousands upon thousands of miles ridden. And each time the remains were handed off to another group of riders, a ceremony was held to pay their respects for the fallen soldier.

“We did this primarily because his mother was unable to attend the services, and he had been cremated and we didn’t want him to go home in a Fed Ex box,” commented Oklahoma Patriot Guard Riders Captain, David Noble.

Turner had been known as a great leader, and inspired his fellow Marines, both in the Corps and in daily life. According to the Patriot Guard website, “You were his friend if you knew him for five minutes or five years. He would give you the shirt off his back.”

Turner’s remains have been safely brought home, and we are so happy to hear that! We wish his mother, and the rest of his family, healing during this difficult time filled with sorrow and grief.

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