Remembering Fallen Marine Nicholas Xiahros
Three years ago today, The Boy was one week old. I was basking in his cutest and adjusting to motherhood. Just a few miles away, the family of Nicholas Xiarhos received word that he was killed in Garmsir, Afghanistan.
I cannot imagine the emotions that his family felt. Here I was full of joy, my journey into motherhood just beginning. The Texan and I embarking on another exciting chapter in our book of life. At the same time, another family was writing a page into their book that they never expected to write.
Nicholas was a Squad Automatic Weapons (SAW) Gunner, Squad Leader with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Weapons Company based at Camp Lejune, North Carolina. He was just 21 years old. The world was in the palm of his hand, he had so much life to live.
Over the weekend, we attended the third annual Big Nick’s Ride for the Fallen. The 37-mile ride attracted 712 motorcycles from across the country and as far away as New Zealand. The event was a huge success, raising funds for several organizations including Big Nick’s Gifts to our Troops, Cape Cod Cares for the Troops, the MIAFHM fund, the Nicolas G. Xiarhos Scholarship Fund, and the Yarmouth Police Relief Association.
There were banners commemorating Nick, and the others from Massachusetts who lost their lives for our freedom.
Photo Credit: Claudia Robinson
If you recall my post from last year, I am still wearing my bracelet.
To learn more about Nicholas Xiarhos and the ride to honor his memory, and that of others, please visit Big Nick’s Ride for the Fallen or find them on Facebook.
It is so great the community continues to remember him annually. My brother is in the Army and takes care of the bodies of his fellow soldiers that need to be returned home. Words cannot express the gratitude I have towards that man for the job that he did and defending our rights. My thoughts are with his family, thank you for posting this.
I am sorry to hear about the lose of one of our countries heroes.
It’s great that he is being remembered. So often when a loss occurs, the world moves on quickly while the family is left working through it all.
How can we ever thank them?
This young man like so many others before and after have given the ultimate sacrifice. I truly wish we could do more and that our country would do more for our vets. It makes me so sad to see their statistics of PTSD increasing and their health benefits and services not up to par. I really hope our legislators and our communities can work together to improve this to truly help honor our courageous men and women!
I am so happy that this ride takes place every year in remembrance of a local fallen soldier. So often fallen soldiers are forgotten- a sad truth but still a reality.