2,000 strangers turn out to honor a Vietnam veteran who died alone.
Vietnam Veteran Stanley Stoltz died with no living relatives. A simple notice in the local paper, no more than 23 words, invited members of the public to attend his funeral.
Yet, when he was finally laid to rest, attendees at Stoltz’ funeral outnumbered the population of his hometown of Bennington, Nebraska.
At least 2,000 people showed up to honor the veteran as he was buried at Omaha National Cemetery on Nov. 27. The public notice had spread throughout social media, and attracted supporters from miles around.
According to WOWT-TV, the burial service was even late to start, just so latecomers wouldn’t miss it.
According to the personal stories shared by the chaplain, Stoltz loved people, and treated others better than he treated himself.
The outpouring of support drove many to tears. It was an emotional experience for those attending.
Dick Harrington of Bellevue, Nebraska said, “No vet deserves to die alone. We looked around and said, ‘Here’s his family.’ It’s true. Veterans. We’re all family. That’s just the way we roll.”
According to Fox News, Stoltz’ first wife died of cancer, and he had divorced from his second wife without any children. His parents and siblings had all passed, as well, and Stoltz was seemingly alone in his small Nebraskan town.