Well Done, Marine

| March 4, 2017

In October 2014, Anthony L. Colantonio died.   He was cremated.

His third wife was the only person at his memorial service.  She was given his cremains afterwards.

About a year later, his third wife also died.

Last month, a former Marine – Charles “Mike” Gustin – found both the cremains and Mr. Colantionio’s death certificate.  They had been placed in a box; the box had been discarded in an alley, like common trash.

Mr. Gustin contacted local police, but they said they were unable to help. Local sanitation workers refused to pick up the cremains.

So Mr. Gustin decided he’d find Mr. Colantonio’s next-of-kin himself – and offer to return the cremains to them.

It turns out that Mr. Colantonio had a daughter named Tracy. However, Tracy hadn’t seen her father in 25 years.  She’d been separated from and out-of-touch with her father since she was 6, apparently due to a divorce.

Nonetheless, Mr. Gustin was able to locate Mr. Colantonio’s daughter Tracy relatively quickly.  He contacted her; she indeed wanted her father’s  cremains.

On Valentine’s Day of this year, Mr. Gustin delivered Mr. Colantionio’s cremains to his daughter.

This Fox News article has more details. If you choose to read it, you might want to have a tissue or two handy.

Well done, Marine.   Damn well done.

Category: Marine Corps, Real Soldiers

11 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Roh-Dog

Strange saline-type liquid emanating from my eye sockets.

Mr Gustin, thank you for doing the right thing and setting the bar higher.

A Proud Infidel®™

It suddenly got dusty in here, damned allergies!

SSG (Ret) Whiskeytango

A sad tale indeed. Sometimes,the toughest challenge that many of us will ever have is with our family relationships. We may find it hard to bond with those closest to us and give them the love they need.

ex-OS2

BZ, Marine.

Rest In Peace, Mr. Colantonio.

HMC Ret

What a class act. Respect, Mr. Gustin

Ex-PH2

Nicely done.

borderbill (a NIMBY/BANANA)

Thank you, Mr. Gustin– Marine, not “former”. The journos got that part wrong again. Semper Fi.

OC

Leave no man (or his remains) behind.
BZ Marine.

Bill M

I have no words. Thank you Mr. Gustin.

OldSoldier54

Now that is Faithful.

Warrior0369

Well done Marine. Semper Fi