My walk today was dedicated in honor of:
Marine CPL. Derek A. Wyatt, Age 25 of Akron, OH.
KIA Dec. 6, 2010 during Operation Enduring Freedom
He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, CA.
Wyatt is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
CPL Wyatt was killed in the line of duty by a sniper while leading other Marines in Afghanistan.
The next evening, Wyatt’s wife, Kait, gave birth to the couple’s baby boy, Michael, at Camp Pendleton in California.
The day before Wyatt was deployed to Afghanistan last October, he spent time on a California beach with his pregnant wife, who is a Marine veteran.
They picked a name for their child and on the beach they wrote, “Derek + Kait = Michael.”
Wyatt’s friends said they’ll remember Derek as a man who was always there for them. Now, those friends say they’ll be there for Michael. He will never meet his dad, but he will always know him.
We had a great 5.87 Mile walk today. Heavy frost at the start of the walk but by the end it warmed up a little. We made a stop down town at the Warm Memorial Park. I want to thank my friend Robert for walking with us this morning and I want to thank all those who honked, waved, and saluted in helping us honor this hero.
Marine CPL. Derek A. Wyatt will not be forgotten !
