People were invited to pay their respects and honor this veteran for his service after he passed away. And while they sat in the pews waiting for the funeral to begin, the church doors burst open, revealing something that left them all stunned.
For many, the Fourth of July is a time to celebrate our nation’s independence and freedom. However, for some it can be a reminder of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country – men and women who have served in the military.
A group of high school students from Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury, Massachusetts honored one such veteran: John T. Fitzmaurice, an Army veteran who had passed away homeless and without family or friends to claim his body.
John T. Fitzmaurice was 68 years old when he died homeless and without family or friends to mourn him or claim his body. When these high school students heard about this heartbreaking case, they decided that he deserved to receive an honorable funeral service with all due respect for his service to our country.
The teenagers from Catholic Memorial High School stepped up and not only attended his funeral but carried his casket as well! Before being laid to rest at Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Winchendon, Mr. Fitzmaurice received a full funeral Mass in the chapel of Catholic Memorial School with 40 people attending including juniors and seniors serving as pallbearers and sophomore theology class members present as well.
These teens deserve praise from everyone around them — not just because they honored Mr. Fitzmaurice’s service but because they paid respects to someone whom otherwise would’ve gone unnoticed. We should all recognize how even young students can make positive impacts on less fortunate members within their local communities if given such opportunities.
Kudos goes out these kids and Catholic Memorial High School.
