Don,
I had your number at one point in time, but can’t seem to find it. I really wanted to talk to you instead of email, but this will have to do.
I want to let you know how unbelievably magnificent your guys were today for the escort to the cemetery for Sgt. Matteoni.
Each mission we do is different, for many reasons. Each mission is hard yet so rewarding because you know you have done the right thing, not only for the fallen Marine or soldier, but for their families as well.
Most of the time, our ride captains or someone in the community that is a Patriot Guard member will talk with LEO about the route and what can be done to make it a SAFE and respectable route. Sometimes, we simply get a lead car. Other times, we get a lead and a tail. Sometimes, LEO just goes out of their way and that is exactly what Kalamazoo did. However, not one time did we have to ask for anything, they looked for us and came to us and said this is what we are going to do and it was simply amazing. Even before the funeral even started, many of our ride captains came over to me amazed by the amount of contact they had with LEO and by how open they were with us. We don’t always get that.
I so wish I could remember the name of the guy who did most of the contact with us. I saw his name, I talked with him several times, I just can’t remember it. He said he was a reserve and you were his captain. He made sure to shut everything and I mean everything down. He even went so far as to think of stopping traffic going by the church as they were removing Sgt. Matteoni and taking him into the church. We have never had the police do that ever and each one of us that stood that flag line realized what was being done and it was so touching. Once he told me you were his captain, my heart just smiled because then I knew all was going to be well and it was.
Almost every intersection was blocked off the whole way to the cemetery. Not once did any of our riders or us ‘cagers’ felt there was any danger for our riders. In fact, given the massive show of police escort the whole way, I personally encountered something I have yet to be a part of on any of the many many missions I have done and that was, all cars oncoming to us pulled over (with the exception of a few white haired old ladies who just didn’t know what the hell was going on!). We have always heard of other states having cars oncoming pull over, but I had not been a part of that yet, until today and I give that credit to the amazing job the LEO did for us.
My only regret for this day was that Taylor was still sick and could not witness this herself. Many times I was brought to tears today, not just by the pain of what was happening, but by the beauty of it all and the pure respect that was shown and the dignity that your guys showed. It set the tone and for this mission, everything just seemed to be of a higher standard then normal.
I am so grateful I was part of it and to be able to carry in my heart always what I saw these last four days.
Please, if you know how I am talking about in the man that did most of the ‘running of the show’ give him our thanks. He got many hugs from me today!!!!
I just wanted you to know how wonderful they did.
Cathy
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