A terminally ill soldier received more help than he could have imagined on moving day, as 100 soldiers, retirees, and civilians showed up to help the family move into a smaller residence over the weekend.
After a friend posted a request for help on an Army-related Facebook page, soldiers from units across Fort Bragg reported for duty at the Petrie home Saturday in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Cars filled the streets in an overwhelming response for Chief Warrant Officer 5 Charles Petrie, who has honorably served the United States Army for almost 30 years.
“The support has been amazing,” said his wife, Terri Petrie. “It’s just a blessing. This year has been hard, and to have complete strangers help… to see the outpouring is amazing.”
“I don’t know how he reacted when everyone showed up, but you can tell he really appreciated it,” said Kendra Hartwick, wife of an Air Force retiree and member of the North Carolina Patriot Guard Riders. “I think about how blessed we are and how honored we are to help him out right now. Whenever we see a need, we try and help out.”
“My daughter texted me ‘Dad’s all choked up,’” said Terri.
Through all of the obstacles Petrie has faced in the last year, his attitude remains positive as he prepares his family for what is ahead, according a feature story on a military website, BlackAnthem.com.
(Additional Source: Fayetteville Observer)