Brother Of Fallen Marine Gets Mementos Back
HOBART, Ind. (CBS) - The brother of a Marine who was killed almost nine years ago in Afghanistan says his mission is accomplished. He now has possession of his sister's medals and other belongings; items that had been held by a Northwest Indiana businessman.
Now the mementos of Marine Sgt. Jeannette Winters are in the hands of her brother, who came all the way from California to get them. CBS 2's Mike Parker reports.
The items kept inside a trunk for almost a decade have an unusual story surrounding them.
After Sgt. Winters' funeral, her belongings and the American flag that was presented to her family, were placed in storage, then seemingly forgotten when the soldier's ailing parents could not pay the storage fees.
Then, Lake Station used furniture dealer Mark Perko, who had bought the trunk at an auction for $1,500 announced that he wanted relatives – like brother Matthew Winters – to buy them back, to "make it worth his while."
On Wednesday morning, the owner gave up to "cut his losses." The decision came after an explosion of public outrage.
"I have no ill will against this guy," said Matthew Winters. "I wish him the best in life. I will not talk bad about him."
Now Winters, a retired Marine, is preparing to pack up the items and take them back home to California, where he says they will be kept safe.
In addition to the flag, there are also letters of condolence from then-president George W. Bush, Mayor Richard M. Daley and others.
The collection also includes Sgt. Winters' dress uniform jacket and her medals. The most meaningful things to her brother are the flag, her dog tag and a vial of sand from the terrain where she was killed.
"There's a saying in the military: 'leave no soldier, leave no Marine behind,'" Winters relates. "And I couldn't leave this behind. I feel like I would be neglecting her, as well as the Marine Corps, in leaving these heirlooms out there."
Matthew, who was wounded as a Marine in Iraq, says his sister told him she was proud of him and looked up to him. Now, he says he looks up to her and her memory.
"It keeps me going," he said.
