Community Corner

Warrior Sons Return Home To Escort Mom Down Aisle

Oak Lawn rolls out the red carpet for hero returning from Afghanistan, Pvt. Jake Hurst, and his brother, Pvt. John Hurst, who is going there next month.

Mary Hurst and her fiancé, Jerry Kendrick, put their wedding off as long as they could so that Mary’s two oldest sons—one just home from a tour in Afghanistan, the other leaving next month—could escort their mom down the aisle when she weds today at Gaelic Park.

“They are going to walk me down the aisle in their uniforms,” Mary said. “We didn’t know they’d be here. It all fell into place. This is God’s blessing. It would not have been this great without them.”

Jake Hurst, 24, a private in the U.S. Army, arrived in Oak Lawn Wednesday after a 12-month deployment in the Wardick province of Afghanistan. His paratrooper brother, John, 28, also an Army private, is heading for Afghanistan next month.

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The warrior brothers were overwhelmed by the reception they received from Oak Lawn residents, veterans and a biker escort from the Warrior Watch Riders to the Wednesday evening.

The celebration was organized by volunteers from Soldiers Guardian Angels, a group that stages welcome-home and deployment celebrations for military serving in the Middle East.

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“I’m at a loss for words right now,” John told the cheering well wishers gathered at the VFW.

“That was the idea,” someone yelled.

The Lockport brothers’ mother is marrying Kendrick, an Oak Lawn resident. The warriors were escorted to the VFW post Wednesday evening by a contingent of bikers from the Warrior Watch Riders.

“You got our backs out there, but I can speak for everybody in here, we got your backs here,” Warrior Watch rider Mike Sedelko said, handing each brother a talisman.

John and Jake were unaware of the surprise their family was cooking up. Both were sent on an errand to Kmart at 111th Street and Cicero Avenue, where an honor guard and motorcycle escort was waiting to take them to Johnson-Phelps.

“I thought we were going to pick up some stuff,” Jake said. “I thought my brother was going to pull me out to some bar.”

Mary and family were also surprised by the large turnout. While she’s relieved that Jake is out of harm’s way, she must prepare herself to say goodbye to John when he leaves for Afghanistan next month.

“When they say people sleep better at night knowing that they’re there, they might sleep better, but I don’t,” Mary said. “I’m much better off now that [Jake’s] home, but a little bittersweet that [John] is leaving, but I have my faith in God.

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