6 months ago
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It's a peaceful remembrance on a beautiful day in Arkansas, about as far from the war torn battlefields of Afghanistan as you can get. It's a service of tribute for an Arkansan who loved his country.
Honored with a 21 gun salute, family, friends and Patriot Guard riders said goodbye to Private First Class Jonathan Yanney. It's a pain that's made a journey halfway around the world.
Captain Mark Taylor explains, "It is not about us. It is about that soldier. He paid the ultimate price."
Taylor never met Yanney, neither did the other 50 riders; still they pay their respects.
"Freedom is not free. It is bought and paid for by the blood of these soldiers, and the very least we can do is just show our respect for someone who gave so much for all of us," says Taylor.
Yanney was 20-years-old and doing a job he loved when an explosive took his life about two weeks ago on his first tour of duty.
His family is too upset to go on camera, but last week Yanney's mother told a Missouri T.V. station quote "Just remember that he gave his life. It was something he wanted to do. And I hope people remember that."
Taylor says, "It's just being there for them to let them know that people care. People care about their loss."
It's a thank you to a young man caught in untimely death, one of Arkansas' own who served our country and every American.
Yanney's dad lives in Grapevine, Arkansas. His mom lives in Missouri. At the burial, the Army presented his family with seven medals of honor, including the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
More than 60 Arkansans have been killed since the War on Terror began.
Yanney was buried at Arkansas Veterans Cemetery.
You can read his obituary by clicking here.
THV's Ashley Blackstone is following this story and will have the latest on Yanney on "Today's THV at 6:00" and todaysthv.com.
