A Kentucky town shows its support for a fallen soldier by supporting other soldiers. Private First Class Dustin Gross of Montgomery County was killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. His body arrived back in the United States Friday. Saturday, to honor him, people donated items, for care packages, for other servicemen and women. This was the scene, at the American Legion Post in Mount Sterling.
"Care packages have a little bit of everything. They can be toothpaste, foot powder, shaving cream, it could be deodorant, books, magazines, anything that they can use over there. Some snacks, as long as they're solid snacks that don't melt. A few candies, they're also getting a little special paper in the box also, which will have a note from a lot of the individuals working here on behalf of dustin gross. A memorial of him, excuse me. And what we'll have on the note is a thank you, a handwritten comment from each of the individuals out here," says US Army Lt. Colonel (Retired) Ed Stepanchuk.
Dustin Gross' aunt says she's overwhelmed by the response.
"I can't express enough appreciation and the outpouring from this community, from this past week in general, not just today. You're seeing a lot of people come out today. But the thing you can't see are the messages, the texts, the emails, the phone calls, that we receive every day. It's been everyday, nonstop. And this community, they went beyond what I could have imagined, honestly," explains Jill Tipton.
Funeral plans for Dustin Gross are still incomplete. Flags will be lowered to half staff the day of the funeral.
