Vietnam veteran Anthony L. Meizis, who served our country in the Navy, died at age 80 in a nursing home. Meizis never married or had children and had only one surviving next of kin.
As the McDonald Keohane Funeral Home prepared Anthony’s funeral, they realized he would be buried alone, without anyone to honor his service to our nation.
According to Fox News, Keohane Director Cara Johnson reached out to the Massachusetts Department of the American Legion Riders on Facebook, letting them know Meizis would be be buried alone.
Vice Commander Andrew Pajak received the message, and rallied the community, telling Fox News Digital, “No veteran should ever be left to go alone.”
Pajak told Fox News Digital that he took the message to Facebook, expecting typical engagement. Over 16,000 likes and 2,100 shares later, and three hundred motorcycle riders emerged to escort Meizis to his final resting place.
“The state police and the local police shut down the rotary to allow this procession to come across. It literally took 4 minutes for all the vehicles to come across.” Pajak said.
Pajak said he was still “shaking” with emotion at the turnout.
“I’ve never met the man. I don’t know the man, but he’s my brother… I could not care less when he served. I served in the Gulf. He served in Vietnam. He’s still my family.”
Meizis’ funeral escort lined the streets to the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne Friday morning.
