Brother: Doherty saved 30 people in American consulate before death

WINCHESTER (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – Family and friends packed the pews of St. Eulalia Church in Winchester on Wednesday to mourn the loss of a 42-year-old former Navy SEAL who died in the attack on the U.S. consulate in Libya.

IMAGES: Glen Doherty, former SEAL killed in Libya, laid to rest

The life and accomplishments of Glen Doherty, a Winchester native, were celebrated during a mass at his hometown church.

During the homily, Rev. James W. Savage, who remembered Doherty from his days as an altar boy, said Doherty had the "capacity to achieve the impossible" and that the "spirit of God was inside Glen."

Throughout his life, Doherty made his presence known.  He was "untamable, unpredictable, and had the capacity to achieve the impossible."

Before concluding the homily, Rev. Savage emphasized the religious undertones in Doherty's death. "God weeps when religion is used to incite violence. When we claim to be acting religiously and kill and maim."

Doherty, a member of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, was killed by religious extremists who were offended by a film which insulted the Islamic religion and Muhammad.

Rev. Savage said Doherty, who fought for freedom of religion and fought against injustice, would not have condoned the religious mockery, and he would have spoken out against religious indiscretion; however, he also would not have condoned the violent and murderous reaction to the film.

Rev. Savage commented, "It breaks my heart that Glen found himself ensnared by religious zealots." He called the actions of the religious extremists "unconscionable," but added as a comfort that, "Glen is a just man who lies in the hand of God. He is in peace."

IMAGES: Glen Doherty, former SEAL killed in Libya, laid to rest

Greg Doherty's eulogy provided further insight into his brother's life.

According to Greg Doherty, on the day his brother died, he was not inside the Benghazi consulate which was being attacked and overrun.  Glen Doherty and his friend Ty Woods were called upon to help. They immediately began coordinating an effort to save the 30 people, who were trapped inside working for diplomacy.

Glen Doherty and Woods managed to get everyone loaded into vehicles and transported to a safe house.

The 30 people that were rescued from the consulate lived; however, Glen Doherty, Sean Smith, Ty Woods, and Ambassador Chris Stevens did not survive the attack.

Doherty was working as a private security contractor at the consulate when he and three other Americans were killed Sept. 11.

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