Memorial honors Casey Jackson

By CHRISTINE HAINES

chaines@yourmvi.com

Nine years in the making, a memorial to Army Spc. Casey Casteel Jackson was unveiled Friday in Belle Vernon.

The memorial sits along Route 906 as a tribute not only to Casey, but to all members of the military, said his father, Gerald Jackson Jr.

Spc. Casey Jackson died Sept. 4, 2012, from Ewing’s sarcoma, shortly before his unit was deployed to Afghanistan. He was a paratrooper with the 919th Engineer Support Company. His mother, Kristen Jackson of Durham, N.C., read the letter sent to her by his commanding officer, Capt. Chris Loschiavo, the day Casey died.

“While we are grieving at his loss and will all grieve in different ways, let us not forget the Casey Jackson we knew — the young man with heart, courage, determination and a love for this company and his fellow soldiers. Let us celebrate his LIFE rather than mourn his death,” Loschiavo wrote.

Friday was that celebration of life, with a gathering of family, friends, veterans and many of those Casey had touched in his life.  Terri Perry of Belle Vernon said her children went to school with Casey and she remembers him as a caring young man.

“My kids grew up in the country. They didn’t know how to cross the road. They were going to the candy store and he grabbed them by the hoodies and ran them across the street to the store and back again,” Perry said with a smile.

Gerald Jackson said the memorial came about as an act of God in a way.

“Right after Casey passed away, a rock slid off the hillside here. There were a couple of guys working and I said it would make a good base for a picture of my son,” Gerald Jackson said. “It took three pieces of equipment to put it in the ground. The guy who brought it to me was the president of Bikers Helping Others.”

That started a long relationship with the nonprofit biker group, Gerald Jackson said.

“From that day to today you can see how one rock can build friendships over the past nine years and led to people helping others,” Gerald Jackson said.

An impromptu speaker at the event was one of the bikers Gerald Jackson has gotten to know through the project, Don Johnson, known as “Cowboy,” is a member of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Bikers for Justice.

“I describe myself as a veteran who never left the country because I fought for patriotism, I fought for freedom and I fought for justice,” Johnson said. “We support our veterans.”

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