A Hero Honored

When many people think of a hero, they think of the likes of the already mortally wounded Sgt Rafael Peralta falling on a grenade to save his men in Fallujah. Or an oversized teenage boy named Lucas who fell on two grenades at a place called Iwo Jima and lived. Both of these men were United States Marines.

Well here is the story another hero who happened to be a Marine, though that service was far in the past. Ray Vivier would serve his time in the Corps Stateside and then muster out. He would marry, have five children, build a career, and lose it all due to alcoholism. Then in the evening of his life he would start to rebuild his life while living under a bridge in Cleveland. Which lead to him living in a boarding house and earning a living as a welder. It was at the boarding house it seems the Marine Corps tradition of leaving no one behind kicked in once again. As a fire set by arsonists raged through the boarding house, Ray would personally rescue five people before the fire claimed him as a victim. Recently Ray Vivier's ashses were interred at Arlington; on hand was his ex-wife and his oldest daughter who placed his urn as the rifles barked their own salute twenty-one times. Rest in peace Marine for now your posting is in Heaven.