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BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2013
Walley continued from 1A
It was one year ago this week that
the life of the U.S. Army specialist
was forever changed.
While attempting to take out a
sought-after member of the Taliban,
he stepped on an improvised explo
sive device. He lost his right leg and
his left forearm in the June 6, 2012
explosion and has spent the past
year at Walter Reed National Military
Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.,
recovering and getting used to life
with prosthetic devices.
However, as the 2010 Winder-
Barrow High School graduate stood
before throngs of well-wishers late
Thursday afternoon, his most notice
able feature was not what was miss
ing — it was his beaming smile.
“It means the world to come home
to see this,” he said of the commu
nity’s turnout. “It’s awesome.”
THE TRIP
The motorcade that escorted
Walley home began at a Welcome
Center off Interstate 20 near Augusta.
One of the first area residents to greet
him was a fellow wounded warrior.
While in Afghanistan with the U.S.
Marines, Michael Boucher of Bogart
had become a double amputee almost
exactly one year before Walley. After
their brief visit, Walley’s very emo
tional trip home began.
“When we left the Welcome Center,
we had two fire trucks, two Georgia
State Patrol cars, two Oconee County
Sheriff’s cars and 24 motorcycles led
by AM VETS Riders Chapter 12,”
Walker said in an interview after the
event. “There were other law enforce
ment vehicles from the Richmond
County Sheriff’s Office as well.”
As the motorcade traveled the
interstate, law enforcement agencies
and fire departments from each coun
ty blocked the entrance ramps and
stood at attention or saluted as the
motorcade made its way west. Cars
traveling the highway also pulled
over and stopped.
“When we got to the Social Circle
exit, there were cars and people lining
the road,” Walker said. 'Their big lad
der trucks had flags draped between
them. It made all of us tear up.
Then when we got to Social Circle’s
downtown, people were waiting with
handmade signs, posters and flags.”
Joining the motorcade in Social
Circle and at other places along
the route were dozens of addition
al motorcycles and other vehicles
from the Walton County Sheriff’s
Office, the Barrow County Sheriff’s
Office, the City of Lawrenceville
Motorcycle Unit, the City of Winder
Police Department — and even the
City of Atlanta Fire Department.
All along the rest of the route,
people came out and stood at the
side of the road in front of houses,
businesses, and retirement homes.
Walker said.
“They stopped their cars and got
out to wave to Sam,” she said. “Many
stood at attention saluting as we
came by.”
When the motorcade made its way
into Barrow County, crowds had
gathered both in the downtown area
of Bethlehem and at Bethlehem First
Baptist Church.
On May Street in Winder, the
motorcade was greeted by employees
of the Golden Corral and other stores.
But the biggest turnout was in
downtown Winder, where Walley was
greeted first by a large welcome-
home banner and by an American
flag hoisted high across North Broad
Street on the ladders of fire trucks
from the Winder Fire Department and
Barrow County Emergency Services.
“When we turned on Broad, that
was when it really, really crowded
up,” Walker said. “My heart was so
happy for Sam. He was worried peo
ple wouldn’t remember him. They
certainly turned out.”
The motorcade’s last stop was the
parking lot of First Baptist Church
of Winder. Among those waiting
to greet him were members of the
Sons of the American Legion out of
Buford and members of the Military
of the Purple Heart Northeast Georgia
Chapter 531.
Jim Goff said the Purple Heart
chapter had held a fundraiser with
Cycle World to raise money to
remodel into an accessible apartment
the basement of the Walleys’ home.
“Sam is a Purple Heart recipient,
and we’re here to support him,” Goff
said.
Cpl. Lisa Kennedy of the Georgia
State Defense Force said in addition
to helping with logistics at the end of
the motorcade, her group earlier in
the week gathered household items
for the soldier’s apartment.
“He had never had his own place
before, so he had nothing,” Kennedy
said, noting that others in the com
munity actually remodeled the living
space. “We got some things together
and took them to his house the night
before last and collected money for
anything he would need. We’re here
to support and help out. I hope I’ll be
shaking his hand today.”
FINALLY HOME
As the motorcade pulled into the
church’s parking lot, the emergency
lights and sirens created quite a spec
tacle.
The truck with Walley arrived and
pulled to a stop. Slowly, the man of
the hour emerged.
He spoke initially of another sol
dier, however.
His friend, he said, had lost his life
in Afghanistan exactly one year ago
that day and would never experience
such a homecoming.
“Today is the one-year anniversary
of it,” Walley said. “I want all of this
to go to him.”
The crowd cheered. Then Winder
Mayor David Maynard shook
Walley’s hand and welcomed him
home. Though visibly worn out from
the trip, Walley did not retreat to
the truck to go home immediately.
Instead, he walked slowly to a stag
ing area near the front doors of the
church and asked for a wheelchair.
As soon as he sat down, relatives,
friends, neighbors, veterans and total
strangers crowded around to shake
his hand, to hug him, and to express
their deep appreciation for his service
and sacrifice.
Asked by a reporter how it felt to
be back home, he smiled and said,
“There’s way too many words to use
for this.”
GOING HOME
(LEFT) Numerous law enforcement agencies assisted in serving
as the official escort for Sam Walley. (RIGHT) Walley was inter
viewed by several television and newspaper reporters.
Photos by Jessica Brown
RED, WHITE AND BLUE
Well wishers lined the roadways to give Sam Walley a patriotic
return home. Photo by Jessica Brown
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PATRIOTIC
BARROW
A large turnout
of residents,
many with
American flags,
greeted local
hero Sam Walley
last week. It
has been a year
since Walley was
injured.
Photos by
Jessica Brown
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