BOURNE, Mass — A Boston man who served his country in Vietnam but tragically died homeless and alone on Cape Cod will be laid to rest in a full-service burial on Friday.
Charlie Connolly will be buried alongside 78,000 other veterans at the National Cemetary in Bourne; joined by strangers who will remember a brother-in-arms.
“Charlie was raised right here back in 1965, to defend this country. And he did not know who he was defending but he simply raised his hand and served this country,” said Jim Seymour with the Cape and Island Veterans Outreach Center. “It’s our opportunity to say thank you to Charlie for that service. "
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Connolly died of cancer earlier on December 18. Before CIVOV intervened, the veteran had been couch surfing and living in his car in between medical treatment.
“For months, every other week he would drive himself to the Brockton VA to catch the bus to Jamaica Plain for his treatments, stay a night in the hospital, and then take the bus back to Brockton. The treatments would leave him sick and weak for a few days afterwards,” CIVOC posted on Facebook.
CIVOC was able to assist Connolly in his final days, getting him a warm bed at a hotel and helping him gain access to medical care before he passed away the Brockton VA Hospice Unit.
Now, the organization is rallying to salute a man who served the company but isn’t known to have any family or friends aware of the situation.
“This was giving Charlie some dignity and care that quite frankly, he deserved. Any human being deserves,” said Seymour. “And, you know, tomorrow he will have family, they’ll have all sorts of new family members, we’re hoping that will embrace this veteran.”
The funeral is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the National Cemetery in Bourne. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.
Organizers suggest arriving between 1:30 and 1:45 p.m.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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