WIESBADEN, Germany -- Jaleel Thomas-Tamrat, 6, wasn't even born when his father, Pfc. Bryan Thomas, was killed in Iraq in 2008. Pregnant at the time, his mother, Shaherezad Tamrat, has built a memory for him through pictures and stories of her passed fiance and visits with her mother-in-law.
On Oct. 3, U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden presented Jaleel one more piece of his father's legacy: an American flag. Military funeral honors dictate that Survivors of deceased service members are given a triangular folded flag at the service, but it is never too late to honor the fallen.
"I was seven months pregnant. After that I was more into grieving and getting my life together than getting a flag [for Jaleel]," Tamrat explained. "As he's getting older he needs something to remember. I told him his dad was a hero and that God is taking care of him."
Sgt. 1st Class Faustin Desir, garrison chaplain assistant, saluted the flag, gently picked it up and knelt before Jaleel, who was sitting next to his mother and wearing a Gold Star pin in remembrance of his father.
"On behalf of the United States Army and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's honorable and faithful service," he said. Jaleel smiled bashfully.
Col. Mary Martin, garrison commander, introduced Jaleel and invited the attendees to shake his hand.
"This is in recognition for those times gone," she said. "We get to honor him for his service to our nation."
"Thank you so much to the garrison commander and Army Community Service," said Tamrat. "It really shows they care for Soldiers and families. It shows we are not forgotten."
Gold Star pins, like the one Jaleel wears, signify the ultimate sacrifice made by Soldiers and families. Visit www.goldstarpins.org to learn more.
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