Crystal Brown



cbrown@weatherforddemocrat.com



Nearly one year after a suicide bomber took his life, Sgt. John J. Savage was honored by the Fallen Heroes Foundation Saturday prior to the Veteran’s Day Parade.



Walter Coleman, chairman of the foundation, presented two replica plaques to Savage’s father and stepmother. The plaques include not only the soldier’s military information and date of death, but also a laser-cut image of the soldier.



Coleman explained to the community Saturday that the foundation is building a memorial in Texas to honor all of those who died in the Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Until construction begins, the organization is traveling the state to honor the families who have lost their loves ones.



Savage attended school in Peaster and Mineral Wells. He joined the reserves while still a teen and later went on active duty. He was assigned to the 103rd Engineer Company, 94th Engineer Battalion, and stationed in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He left for his second deployment to Iraq in October 2007.



Just four days before he was due to return a suicide bomber drove an SUV into the convoy vehicle he was driving. Savage and one of the passengers were killed. He was 26.



The military contacted his family the next day.



His step-mother, Carole Savage, received a phone call from Savage’s ex-wife and then from the military. She said later a representative from the military came to her home. Her husband and Savage’s father, John Savage, was not home at the time so she had to break the news to him when he came home.



“First thing I said was ‘You’re kidding, right,” John said.



“It was the most horrible sound I’ve ever heard, deep from within,” Carole said about John crying out. “It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.”



Savage was awarded the War on Terrorism Service Medal, The Iraq Campaign Service Medal, The Purple Heart, The United States Army Commendation Medal and the fourth highest combat award for the U.S. Armed Forces and the Bronze Star for Bravery.



Nearly one year later and preparing to head into another holiday season without their son, John and Carole said they were honored by this weekend’s presentation.



“On behalf of a grateful country, and on behalf of a grateful community, we present you a copy of the very same memorial plaque of your son, Army Sgt. John J. Savage, that will be placed on the national monument so that all Americans may look into the eyes of this fallen hero who gave his life in defense of the United States of America,” Coleman said. “Your son loves this country and to you and your family, we all thank you for your sacrifice. May God be with you and your family always.”



John said receiving the plaque was one of the greatest things anyone could have done for him.



“It was great, a good feeling that they are doing this,” John said. “They gave us this plaque. That is so cool. They didn’t have to do this. They could have just made the one for the memorial.”



Normally the family is only given one plaque, but Weatherford Mayor Dennis Hooks personally sponsored the second plaque so Savage’s daughter Nicole, 4, can have one to remember her father by.



“We were stunned and honored at the presentation they did for us,” Carole said. “Until something like this happens, you don’t know how important it is.”



Savage’ father received a letter Dec. 11, 2008 from Battalion Executive Officer Major Stephen T. Peterson who served with his son.



“It broke my heart to hear the news,” Peterson wrote. “He and I sweated through many a dusty movement in Iraq and as we built a combat outpost in Rawah on the Euphrates River.



“Sgt. Savage was better than great; he was phenomenal. He acted much more like an officer than an enlisted soldier. On top of loving the Army and his job, we was brilliantly intelligent, articulate, outgoing, friendly and ambitious. He was always excited about life, his family and his friends. He made every one else’s life better.”