Hazel Green Honors Fallen Soldier

By Katie Wiedemann, Reporter

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By Jaime Sharer

Story Created: Mar 20, 2012 at 10:49 PM CDT

Story Updated: Mar 20, 2012 at 10:52 PM CDT

HAZEL GREEN, WI - The body of a fallen Hazel Green, Wisconsin solider is back home.

Staff Sergeant Jesse Grindey was a military police officer. He lived about 15 miles east of Dubuque. The 30-year-old died last week in Afghanistan.

On Tuesday, people in his hometown lined the streets to honor his life and support his family. On the warm and windy day, exactly 2,200 flags line the streets of Hazel Green. But try counting the people.

Tammy Rivera said, “I just think that we should all be out here supporting Jesse because he was over fighting for our county and he’s done a lot for this community. ”

Hundreds of people lined the streets holding signs and waving flags as the hearse carrying Grindey’s body arrived home.

Dean Pearce said, “He was always wanting to help. If you need somebody to do something, Jesse was always saying “I’ll do it.'”

Friends say Grindey dreamed of one day patrolling these very streets. He wanted to be a police officer here in his hometown.

Rivera said, “Even when we were kids he would go ride his bike and pretend to be a cop.”

Before his deployment Grindey was a volunteer firefighter. His colleagues lead the motorcade.

Pearce said, “We hate to see Jesse go this way but we want to show that we honor the time that he was here. ”

A hero’s welcome home for a small town kind of guy.

Rivera said, “It doesn’t matter if you move away or go somewhere else, you’re always going to be a person from Hazel Green.”

At this point, the military is not releasing the details of Sergeant Grindey’s death. His funeral is set for 11 a.m. Friday at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Hazel Green.