Corporal Joe Tomci was buried on Monday with full honors while a city turned out to pay their respects. Men, women and children lined the street in Stow, Ohio as this hometown Marine’s funeral procession passed. That so many would attend shows how well he was liked. That so many would mourn shows how great the loss. A loss of a soldier in battle is a terrible thing, but Joe believed in what he was doing and what he stood for. From all that I have read and heard, there was no doubt in him about whether or not he was doing the right thing.
Piatt told of the first time Tomci came to the school to meet her students.
“The children stopped and stared at him with such awe and admiration,” she said. “Their eyes followed him as he walked to the front of the room.”
Tomci, Piatt said, talked about what it means to be an American and to be a Marine.
He spoke to them about “respect and loyalty and faith and trust,” she said.
Piatt said she believes that because of the connection made over two years of correspondence between Tomci and the students, Tomci’s spirit will live on in her students.
“They will grow up to be better adults than they ever would have been if they hadn’t known Tomci,” she said.
“You, Joe Tomci, will be making the world a better place for many more lifetimes because of what you instilled in these children.”
One of the Marine’s best friends, Mike Gross, 21, a University of Akron student, delivered the eulogy and said he produced a video of all his friends at the end of their senior year in high school.
In that tape, Tomci was interviewed and Gross read the words of his friend.
“I can’t imagine leaving this world,” Gross said, quoting Tomci.
“I am lying on my deathbed just thinking about all the kick-ass times we had, man. I don’t even care how much pain I’ll be in before I die. I’ll think family and friends. It will be sweet, cause I’ll just smile. I know nothing can hurt me. I’ll be home.”
Photos and quotes from The Akron Beacon Journal
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Wow. What an emotional outpouring of love & appreciation for a brave young man who gave his ALL. A true inspiration! Thank you for introducing Joe Tomci to all of us who visit your blogsite, Anna. You made Joe a REAL PERSON, a name I know I will always remember with pride & gratitude.
Thank you, Trish. He became known to me through these posts, too. I have forwarded all of the comments from the previous posts to his family. I really wanted them to see the wonderful prayers and tributes to their son from people who truly appreciate our troops!
That made my eyes well up. Thanks for following this, Anna.
There is going to be a memorial service for him at the high school, too. I just found out about it. This is more for the “kids”. The ones who graduated with him or just knew him from school. He only graduated in ’03, so a lot of those kids are still home for summer break from college.
Are you going to the memorial service?
I’m really not sure, Word. It’s more for the “kids.” He graduated in a class of about 500 and you have to consider all those a class or two ahead and behind…it’ll be packed! (not enough parking either) I did send his family all the wonderful comments from the posts I wrote, as well as a card to let them know that many, many people are praying for them.
Provoking blogpost, I enjoyed reading this today.
My name is Piter Jankovich. oOnly want to tell, that your blog is really cool
And want to ask you: is this blog your hobby?
P.S. Sorry for my bad english
Thank you Piter! I actually have three blogs. This one is dedicated to those in service to our country. I have another that’s personal and one more that’s about my art.