CANTON, Ga. — Community members in Canton gathered to honor 1st Lt. Tyler Feehan, a 25-year-old soldier killed in an Iranian missile strike in Jordan on July 18.
Channel 2’s Bryan Mims lined Marietta Hwy. with residents and veterans as they paid their final respects as the funeral procession traveled along the road.
Feehan was laid to rest at the Georgia National Cemetery, where he was buried next to his grandfather. The burial continued a family tradition of military service, with many local residents lining the streets with American flags to commemorate the soldier’s sacrifice.
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Dozens of residents lined the roadside, driven by what they described as a sense of duty and gratitude for military heroes. Many in the crowd were veterans of previous conflicts, including the Vietnam War, who wore hats representing their own service as they stood in salute while the hearse passed.
Anne Wilkerson, a community supporter with a nephew currently serving in the Army, was among those who gathered to pay respects. She spoke about the personal connection she felt to the loss.
“I don’t want anything to happen to him. But I know sometimes we pay the cost, so to support the family and just say thank you, because it could be one of our own,” Wilkerson said.
The sentiment of shared sacrifice was echoed by other parents in attendance.
Lori Hinsch, a community supporter whose son joined the Navy earlier this year, said it was important to show her support for the Feehan family.
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“I just wanted to show my support. This year means a lot to me because it could have been my son,” Hinsch said.
Community members Janelle and Jeff Walker attended because they have a grandson in the military. They reflected on the milestones Feehan had planned for his future, including a wedding, law school and traveling the world.
“The young man who had so much in front of him and yet chose to give his life,” Janelle Walker said.
Walker noted the importance of recognizing military service.
“We as a society don’t give enough credit to the people who protect us,” Walker said.
The funeral procession traveled to the Georgia National Cemetery, where Feehan was laid to rest.
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