U.S. Marine pallbearers carry the flag-draped casket with U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Patrick Xavier Jr.’s body during a burial ceremony at the South Florida National Cemetery on Saturday (May 29) in Lake Worth, Florida. 24-year-old Patrick Xavier Jr. was killed May 18th during a ‘hostile incident’ in the Helmand province region of Afghanistan.
Pictured below are his brother Chad Xavier, mother Elizabeth Barolette (holding a folded American flag) and fiance Amani Shaheed.
As we all enjoy the backyard barbecues, the beach or just a plain-old good time, we must remember that Memorial Day is not just an extra day added to our weekend — it’s the holiday which commemorates the men and women who’ve died in military service for this country. So while you’re out having fun with friends and family, make sure to take the time to show some respect for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, one of them being Patrick Xavier Jr.
So sad he was only 24. RIP.
Semper Fi…Once a Marine always a Marine…
Much Love you to you My Fallen Brother
this extremely sad! Bless love to all our troops who fight for our freedom & beliefs! RIP to all our fallen soldiers!
Sad but needs to be seen. People dont realize how many people die a month during these combat missions. Funeral like these are happening ALL THE TIME. I appreciate CL showing respect to the troops.
RIP to Patrick
So sad…my prayers go out to his family and all the others
im not even from the US but i think its very important to take your time to remember the brave people who gave their lives for their country.
Wow what a great write up. R.I.P. & Happy Memorial Day.
Very sad god bless our fallen soldiers and their families left behind Thank You !
Great Post Angel…R.I.P
so sad, r.i.p
Rest in Peace to all the fallen soldiers!!! It really breaks my heart when i see families cry. I consider myself lucky for not having been called overseas in my 7 years of being in the army reserves. The ppl that are overseas are the REAL heros! R.I.P to all the brave soldiers…
god bless your life.
all is well {Matthew5:4}
GOD BLESS THE SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES…THANK YOU SO MUCH
Thank u CL for such a touching post, RIP Patrick, wishing a lot of strength to his loved ones..!
RIP
I LOVE OUR SOLIDER’S MAY GOD BLESS EACH FAMILY .
RIP ,,,
Thank you for posting this. Thank you to the men, women, families & loved ones who make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of our Country. A selfless act if ever there was one. You are in my thoughts today.
R.I.P. to all those who fought well defending their country!
God bless and keep the troops. Rest in peace young brother. Damn…
THANKS CL FOR THIS POST!!! HOOAH! TO MY SAND HILL BROTHERS IN SECTION 60. OORAH/SEMPER FI TO MY DEVIL DOG BROTHERS IN SECTION 60. HOOYAH TO MY NAVAL BROTHERS IN SECTION 60. HUA TO MY AIRMEN BROTHERS IN SECTION 60, AND THANKS TO ALL SECTIONS WHO PAVED THE WAY!!!
AND TO SAINT PETER HE WILL TELL, ONE MORE SOLDIER REPORTING FOR DUTY….I SERVED MY TIME IN HELL
So, so sad. R.I.P
Rest In Peace Lance Corporal Xavier Jr., and to all other brave soldiers. Awww, a fallen soldier represents an entire family and fallen soldiers represent an entire nation. This is a solemn and sad day of rememberance. I think the day is best spent @ a memorial day parade, @ church or quietly @ home or something. That would be fitting. I dont get that changing the date merely to create a 3 day weekend really undermine the true meaning of the day. Ppl behave with indifference. It is not there way to honor the sacrifice of the American fallen soldiers by bar b qing and partying, but b/c of being unconcerned many lose sight that the soldiers paid an ultimate price for their freedom.
aw so said.
Typo. I dont really get changing the original date of Memorial Day just to have it for a long weekend. It undermines the true meaning of the day.
Good Post Angel and Kudos to you for stating the TRUE meaning behind this holiday.
Although there are so many wars going on right now- too many to keep up with
must we not forget that they keep us safe- God Bless, Godspeed come home safe, sound and if it’s not too much God, alive Lord have mercy
Thank You Great-Grandpa, Uncle, Cousin, and best friends for your service…. to the many other Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, Aunt, Uncles, Cousins, Grandmothers and Grandfathers and so on (we love and miss you)
The picture of his brother touching his casket makes me wanna cry with him
*bows head in silence, to remember those who have served their country, and praying for those who are in active duty*…
Great piece CL!
May God bless his soul, and all the others who have fallen.
This brought tears to my eyes. The picture of his younger brother touching the casket just killed me. My family are soo fortunate and blessed to have my brother back from Iraq so I feel for the family. God bless his family & to all that are serving, served. Godspeed.
Great post CL.
thats very sad….RIP
this is so sad. my boyfriend is in the US Army and he is now in Afghanistan for another 9 months and as soon as i saw this post i started to cry. My everlasting love goes out to this family and i pray God heal their broken hearts.
this is too sad, u see this is why our troops need to come home, so parents won’t cry like this, this is just too sad, I appreciate concrete loop showin’ this 2 give appreciation to this fallen soldier. R.I.P to all the fallen soldiers, and I also appreciate concrete loop showin’ their condolensces to gary coleman, so R.I.P 2 gary coleman. smh…sob sob, too sad 4 words.
I feel so bad 4 the mothers and fathers, and everyother family members that have to go thru the pain and sufferin’ of theur loved ones.
This is sad.
I’m not American so I don’t have “Memorial Day” but I never really took in the meaning behind it until now. I would just think of people partying because that’s normally what I would see and hear about.
The pictures of his brother are sad.
My sympathy extends to his family.
Thank you Angel for reminding us all what the day is all about. I really think people forget. Those of us with husbands or family members in the military never forget! There but for the grace of God go I. We never forget it could be us crying those tears at any time. My thoughts, love, and prayers go out to this family and every other family with heavy hearts today. While the rest of the country is out partying, bbqing, and catching 50% off sales we remember! Love and respect to all of our men and women of the armed forces.
That young man should be crying for his brother, not because his brother is a “hero”, but because he died for no other reason than to continue the subjugation and imperialism of the caucasian on the planet earth. If black people do celebrate “Memorial Day” it should be because they have a day off of these jobs, not to commemorate the armed forces. There has been no justification whatsoever for a “war on terror”, so there is no proof that the troops are keeping the American citizens safe from a damn thing other than an organization, Al Qaeda”, that was set up by the CIA and Israeli Mossad to justify the destruction of the Arab man and the taking of his natural resources. A black American soldier or police officer is just about the biggest pawn and idiot on the planet earth.
God bless our soldiers and their families! Thanks for posting something CL… everything can’t be so trivial all the time. one.
Thank you for posting this Angel. Seeing the picture of his mother made me tear up. A parent should never have to bury their child.
My heart goes out to all of our soldiers and their famililes. I am so thankful for the scarifice they make so that we can be safe. From the bottom of my heart I say thank you.
Rest in peace to all our fallen soldiers.
He is a hero. I hope he has left at least a child behind.His legacy need to be passed on.
@ Judah shut your dumb ass up! What in the hell have you done for anyone besides run your mouth spewing negativity. Myself as well as many other soldiers stand the watch so ignorant mo fo’s like you can sit on your behind. How dare you criticize something you obviously know nothing about. A young man lost his life and you better believe he is a hero b/c everybody doesn’t have the balls to fight in a war including your punk ass. You talk alot of crap but you wouldn’t last 2 min in a room with a soldier.
I remember, BUSH KILLED THEM!!! HE GOT BLOOD ALL OVER HIS HANS TO PROVE IT!
My sympathy to this family. You couldn’t pay me to go into the military to fight for a country that don’t give a sh*t about me. I’m off to college baby.
@ JL
And there is nothing else to be said because YOU SAID IT ALL!!!
RIP and Thank You
Thank you so much for posting this! Like others, it made me check myself! Memorial Day is to remember all the military women and men who have lost their lives…and pray that their lives were not lost in vain. Thanks again, Angel!