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Hundreds Arrive In The Cold To Honor A Vietnam Veteran Who Died Alone

November 29, 2018

Hundreds of people stood outside in 25 degree weather to honor a Vietnam veteran they never knew.

Credit: Chris Peters / Twitter

When news spread that Stanley C. Stoltz might be buried alone and without family, a crowd of more than 400 people arrived at Omaha National Cemetery.

The rally began with a funeral notice in the local newspaper. Good Shepherd Funeral Home director Mike Hoy said he was initially told that Stoltz had no living family when he died on Nov. 18.

The notice went viral on social media.

"I was very moved," said Dick Harrington of the Final Salute Society.

"The fact that this many people cared about him, maybe three-quarters of them were vets, they just wanted to be here."

Credit: Chris Peters / Twitter

"This is the first time we've had this kind of crowd. This whole hill is full," said Chaplain Roy Edwards. "Most get 6-8 cars, 15 at most. This is hundreds."