Fallen Soldier From Sherman Added to Washington D.C. Memorial
On Sept. 5, 2013, Air Force Staff Sgt. TJ Lobraico Jr. from Sherman lost his life in Afghanistan fighting for his country.
The News Times has reported that Sgt. Lobraico's name has been added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial this week along with 371 other fallen enforcement officers. The memorial is located in Washington D.C.
Lobraico was 22 years old when he died serving his country during his second deployment. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor in 2015.
I will never forget the day of Sgt. LoBraico's funeral. I was driving Golden Hill Road heading towards I-84 West when I stopped at the traffic light and looked out at I-84. There was absolutely no traffic, not one car on the highway.
As I veered onto I-84 West, I saw that three Connecticut State Troopers in their cruisers had stopped all traffic heading eastbound on I-84 just before the off-ramp to exit 4. The service for TJ at the O'Neill Center had ended and the caravan of vehicles in the funeral procession were inching their way up the exit 4 on-ramp to deliver TJ to his final resting place.
Leading the procession was a collection of motorcycle officers from across Connecticut and New York as they slowly and respectfully made their way to TJ's final resting place at North Cemetery in Sherman. I remember tearing up as I silently said my goodbye to this young man who gave his life for this great country.