“Because of my job, I travel a good deal. Last Thursday night I was returning from Albuquerque via Minneapolis and was one of the last passengers to board. As I was getting on the plane, a Marine in full dress uniform was coming up the jetway stairs from the luggage storage area of the airplane. I thought that was very odd. A few minutes later, the captain came out of the cockpit to thank everyone for flying Northwest. As he was finishing, a flight attendant told him that there was a Marine on board escorting a fallen Marine home. I was stunned when I heard this and at that time didn’t realize who it was. A gentleman sitting across the aisle from me immediately offered his seat in first class to the Marine escort. I couldn’t say anything since I was crying so hard.

As soon as we were airborne, the captain got on the loud speaker and announced the situation to everyone. He had to stop several times before he could continue. He asked that we all stay seated after landing until the Marine escort had deplaned. I have never experienced anything like this in all of my years of travel. I just wanted the parents to know that their son was brought back home by a plane full of people that knew of the precious cargo they were privileged to escort…and by a Marine mom who wept openly for their terrible loss.

They have been in my thoughts and prayers constantly.”