Arr! This Vietnam war hero, he would've found his eternal rest all by his lonesome. But lo and behold, his fellow American Legion mates be havin' none of that!
2023-08-12
Arr, the brave soul Anthony L. Meizis, a swashbuckler of the mighty Vietnam Navy, met his fate without a soul to lay him to rest. But fear ye not, for a valiant crew of Massachusetts bikers heard the call and set sail to pay tribute and honor his memory.
American Legion motorcycle riders in Massachusetts came together to honor a Navy veteran, Anthony L. Meizis, who passed away at the age of 80. Meizis, a Vietnam veteran, had no immediate family and was set to be buried alone. When the American Legion Riders received a message from the funeral director informing them of this, they immediately took action.Vice Commander Andrew Pajak, upon receiving the message, posted it on Facebook, hoping for some engagement. Little did he know that the post would go viral, receiving over 16,000 likes and 2,100 shares. As a result, three hundred motorcycle riders volunteered to escort Meizis to his final resting place.
The procession was so massive that the local and state police had to shut down the roads to accommodate it. It only took four minutes for all the vehicles to pass through. Pajak was overwhelmed with emotion at the turnout, saying that even though he had never personally met Meizis, he still considered him family.
The funeral escort lined the streets on the way to the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, with Massachusetts State Representative Steve Xiarhos, a Gold Star father himself, taking part in organizing and participating in the procession. He expressed his honor in bringing Meizis home to rest and pledged to continue taking care of veterans in Massachusetts.
The story serves as a reminder of the bond shared by veterans and the importance of honoring their service and sacrifices. It also highlights the power of social media in bringing people together for a noble cause. The McDonald Keohane Funeral Home, where Meizis was handled, did not provide a comment on the matter.