Hundreds of people lined the streets in Council Bluffs today to honor Sergeant Brent Maher — the Iowa soldier who died last week while serving in Afghanistan.
Those who couldn’t attend Maher’s funeral at Thomas Jefferson High School stood along the street and held up huge sheets to block those attending from seeing members of a Kansas Church that protest at military funerals.
Cindy Rogers said she’s an Army mom, an Air Force mom and a Marine mom, and was obligated to show her support to the Maher family. Rogers said she did it for her kids because they have sacrificed for their country and for Maher’s family.
“My heart hurts for the family because it could have been one of mine,” Rogers said, “I have a son in Afghanistan now..my heart hurts for the family.”
Veteran Dan Davis from Sioux City made the trip to Council Bluffs. He says he just wanted to show support for Sergeant Maher after serving himself in the military for 20 years. “I thought it was important that we came down and just showed that the community in Iowa and a fellow soldier cared, and support his friends and family, and make sure there was a good turn out,” he said.
Davis says this is a good time to pause and remember what our brave men and women in the military are ready to sacrifice for their service.
“It’s very important that people realize that there is a war going on, and there are people dying in a foreign country that are serving our country,” Davis said.
Maher had served in the Navy for eight years before becoming a member of the National Guard. He was buried in Council Bluffs.
By Karla James