'He didn't expect anyone to go in his place'

Image courtesy: EmRose Photography

Lance Cpl. Matthias Hanson joined the military to help others. A compassionate young man who always tried to make kids feel safe, the 20-year-old rifleman also believed in protecting the Marine next to him. According to The News Enterprise, Lance Cpl. Hanson would often ask people at home to pray for his friends in harm's way.

Hanson was killed in combat on February 21 in Afghanistan's Helmand province, yet Marty Finley's article makes clear that family and friends attending his Kentucky memorial service were insistent on celebrating his life.

“Matt’s our hero because of how he lived,” [Rev. Norm] Brock said.

Mark Knight, the pastor who performed the message, agreed.

“Not only did he die courageously, he lived courageous,” Knight said.

While Hanson did his duty with honor, he also missed his loved ones back home. In addition to his parents and stepparents, Hanson has two brothers (who serve in the military), three sisters, and a girlfriend. The Marine's Facebook page contains these lyrics from Michael Buble's hit song 'Home.'

Maybe surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

The outpouring of grief and patriotism in Kentucky, which included an order by Gov. Steve Beshear to lower flags at all state office buildings on Saturday, shows how much home will miss this valiant Marine who loved to smile.

"He didn't expect anyone to go in his place," Knight said. "He took it as an honor."