By Daniel L. Bamberg
Daniel@Centrevillepress.com
An Alabama military hero was laid to rest on Friday, May 7th. Men and women from across the state, including Bibb County paid tribute to the fallen solider by holding U.S. flags along side the road during the funeral procession.
It was hard to not be moved by such an overwhelming display of respect and patriotism, as the family, U.S. Marines and the Patriot Guard drove past the patches of civilian flag bearers from Acton Road, to Highway 65 South, to 119 in Montevallo.
United States Marine, Lance Corporal Thomas Rivers Jr. was a proud marine and a steadfast follower of Jesus Christ. He often carried a bible with him, except in cases where there was only room for essential combat gear. Tattooed on his back was Psalm 91:1 which reads, He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
On April 28,, 2010 Rivers, only 22 years old, was killed in the line of duty while serving in Afghanistan.
The Hoover, Alabama native was to be buried on Friday, May 7th at Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo near the American Village, following a morning funeral service at Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Jefferson County. He would be the first Marine killed in action to be buried at the Montevallo cemetery. This is perhaps befitting of an individual who was said to be both a proud Alabamian and proud American. Even more fitting is that this young man’s life long dream had always been to serve as a U.S. Marine.
News began coming into the airwaves of Central Alabama’s radio talk shows on the Thursday before the funeral, that members of a radical church from Kansas, The Westboro Baptist Church would show up to protest the funeral.
This group is known for protesting the funerals of American soldier’s in what they call “an exercise of their first amendment rights.” The church, which is mostly composed of a large family with the surname, Phelps travels across the country regularly to interrupt and spread a message many regard as hateful during funerals of celebrities and members of the United States military.
Alabamians were immediately infuriated that this audacious group would dare protest a funeral of a soldier in this state. Immediately there would be talk about a counter protest from emotional citizens within the central Alabama area.
Local citizen Bryan Hughey came up with the idea to gather people in Bibb County to join the counter protest. After radio show host, Leland Whaley announced the family’s wishes for no counter protest groups from Chilton, Shelby, Jefferson, Bibb, and other counties began to consider a different approach. Rather than protesting they would stand along side of the roads within the route holding U.S. flags silently, as the funeral procession passed by. If any of these groups came across Westboro Baptist Church protesters they would simply stand in front of the radicals holding flags in order to shield the family from seeing the hateful signs.
The Bibb County group contacted several entities requesting flags to be donated for the event. Brent City Hall, Centreville City Hall, Bibb County Chamber of Commerce, The Bibb County Probate Office, Probate Judge Jerry Pow, and George Fleming II all donated flags. Many organizations were not contacted because by the time these donations were made more than 120 had been accumulated.
There were scattered unconfirmed reports that Westboro Baptist members showed up at the morning funeral service at Briarwood Presbyterian Church and were immediately escorted away. Following these unconfirmed reports there was mass speculation that the radicals planned to display their hate along side of Highway 119 in Montevallo. By this time however, what appeared to be a small group of civilian flag bearers became a scattered movement.
Beginning at the Shelby County Airport exit, stretching down Shelby County 22 and ending near the Alabama National Cemetery on Highway 119, hundreds of citizens from across central Alabama were standing proud and at attention with flags ranging from small to large.
Bryan Hughey’s group, which included Kandice Bamberg, Robin Nichols, Corey Carter and Jessica Ragland, set up camp along Shelby County Road 22. Before the funeral procession passed by, that spot had accumulated 57 people before counting has ceased. This was one of several groups, which estimated at least 50 supporters. Some groups estimated hundreds.
There was no more sign of Westboro Baptist Church, if there had ever been to begin with. Instead the family of the fallen local hero would only see civilians with U.S. flags line the road. They would enter into the cemetery road and see a 60 foot flag hung from the ladder of a fire truck donated by Montevallo Fire Department. They would be led with an escort from the Patriot Guard, a group made up of mostly Vietnam Vets on motorcycles and choppers who travel to these funerals to protect families from protestors and pay their own respects. The state of Alabama would even close off Interstate 65 out of respect for this young man who gave his life in honor of his country.
A few images of that day stand out among the many displays of love and patriotism. In one of the lead cars a young lady (presumably family) hung her upper torso out of a window with a camera taking pictures of the flag bearers, her eyes drenched in tears. Marines saluted or gave thumbs up as they passed by, members of the Patriot Guard pumped their fists modestly, and police officers in some vehicles actually appeared to be holding back tears.
There wasn’t anything individual about anyone involved except Lance Corporal Rivers and his family who were covered in a respect and pride from an appreciative community.
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