A real feel-good story
Anthony L. Meizis, an 80 year old Navy Vietnam veteran, never married. No kids, no wife, only one living relation, who has health problems and was unable to attend Meizis’ funeral Friday.
That’s when McDonald Keohane Funeral Home Director Cara Johnson sent a Facebook message to the Massachusetts Department of the American Legion Riders, advising them that Meizis was going to be buried alone.
Vice Commander Andrew Pajak received the message. “No veteran should ever be left to go alone,” he told Fox News Digital.
Pajak told Fox News Digital that he took the message to Facebook, expecting typical engagement.
Well, that didn’t happen. What did happen was 16,000 likes. 2100 shares. And over 300 motorcycle riders showed up to escort Meizis on his last trip.
Meizis’ funeral escort lined the streets to the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne Friday morning.
Massachusetts State Representative Steve Xiarhos, himself a Gold Star father, shared with Fox News Digital after livestreaming Meizis’ funeral procession that “I was honored to help organize and join hundreds of others in bringing our fallen Veteran home to rest.”
I know a lot of service organizations catch grief due to some of the posers and pretenders in them – but it’s at times like this that we can see why they were founded and why they are still needed. Good on Ms. Johnson, good on all the participants – fair winds and following seas to Mr. Meizis.
Category: Navy
Words fail me.
Fair winds and following seas, sailor.
Godspeed, Fare Well, and Rest Easy, Good Sir. We’ve got the watch. A Salute to all that made sure his final voyage was well attended.
Spotted this in my news feeds and was thinking that one of the usual suspects would make a Thread Post on it. Thanks, David.
One of the reasons I joined the Patriot Guard several years ago was the feeling that no Veteran should go to their final rest alone. I went on several of the “missions” while we were RVing including a welcome home for a Brigade returning from the sand box to Ft Carson.
This possibly could be Mr. Antony L. Meizis.
Possibly Senior High School Photo with write up taken from the 1960 Boston Technical High School in Boston, Massachusetts.
The school later was renamed The John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science.
Please note that Tony’s ambition was to become a Naval Aviator; that he was involved in the Civil Air Patrol and that one of his hobbies was drawing.
A 1966 Boston City Directory listed him as a Tech Illustrator with Anco Technical Writers.
In 1981, he was still living at the address that was in the Massachusetts Directory with his parents, Anthony C and Mary Meizis and his sister, Jill, who was identified as a student.
His Father passed away in 1983. Note the name of this two sisters in his Father’s obituary that is in the link.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/245009828/anthony-charles-meizis
His Sister, Sandra, passed away in 2022:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/257852821/sandra-teresa-rosenberg
The Fox News article noted:
“veteran’s one surviving next-of-kin had health complications and could not attend his funeral.”
Most likely, his next of kin is his sister Jill.
Rest In Peace, Sir.
Thank You, David, for sharing.
Something between ’60- 66 had an effect there. No wife, kids either.
Something is caught in my throat and it’s making my eyes water a bit.
Welcome home Sailor.
Rest in peace– earned for sure.
That cemetery is beautiful and well-maintained, fitting for the task.
Wish I had known, would’ve gone.
Thank you to all that made this happen.
May you rest well, Sir.
Rest in peace Mr. Meizis.
Welcome Home Tony, may you Rest in Peace.
I’ve attended two Veteran funerals in northern MA where the departed Vet had no family or friends to attend and word went out via social media. In both cases, there were at least 500 to 750 people in attendance to honor the deceased on their final journey. Among the times I was proudest to be a Veteran.
My older sister also retired USAF eventually moved back to what passes for our home town as we were military brats growing up. It has a national cemetery in it and is where our parents are buried.. Since returning she has taken to attending funerals such as this for vets without readily available family. Charleston AFB provides the honor guard for AF funerals and its about 1-1/2 hours one way for them to get there.
According to her the AF does not reimburse them for meals on the details. She has attempted to give them money to cover lunch and received pushback from the individuals. Most recently after being told they couldn’t accept such things she just reached in a put the cash on the dashboard of the govt van and walked off.
I offered her a suggestion. Unless your a local knowing all the roads, it is impossible to get from the National Cemetery back to Charleston without passing the Chik-Fil-A about five miles up the road. So I suggested she hand them a Chik-Fil-A giftcard and they can get lunch using it.