Small community with big hearts joins to honor fallen hero

12:38 PM CST on Sunday, February 27, 2005

By Mike Zientek / 11 News

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A sniper's bullet killed an area soldier a week ago in Iraq. Saturday his hometown honored the fallen hero.

KHOU-TV

Army Specialist Clint Gertson was killed by a sniper's bullet a week ago in Iraq.

Army Specialist Clint Gertson is from Eagle Lake in Colorado County there has been tremendous support for his family.

Once more, a small community has paid a big price in Iraq. Just about everyone who packed the Rice High School gym knew Gertson.

"This boy deserves it. I mean he deserves all the honor he can get. I've lived by him for 22 years," said Jean Thornton, neighbor.

A sniper ended the 26-year-old Gertson's life, even after he'd survived the horrible mess hall attack in Mosul.

"He was driving a truck, I understand, a few years ago and after 9/11 realized that he needed to do something more than drive a truck," said Reverend Harland Merriam, U.S. Army Chaplain.

But before Gertson was a soldier, he answered the call of the Rice Raider fight song, excelling in football and basketball.

So his Eagle Lake community came back to the school to laugh and to cry.

"The day that they left I asked him if he was ready to go. And he looked at me and he smiled, and he said he was proud and he was honored to serve and help those who couldn't help themselves," said Sgt. Derek Brame, U.S. Army.

Gertson's father said he had to pour out his emotions with his neighbors. "So many people are behind us. Their thoughts and prayers. It's overwhelming, it really is," he said.

From small communities come big hearts.

Gertson will be buried Monday in Eagle Lake.