Oregon Marine Ty Hart laid to rest: 'It's okay to start healing'
AUMSVILLE, Ore. — For the family of a Willamette Valley Marine, it has been a painful 95 days.
Sunday, Lance Corporal Ty Hart, 21, was finally laid to rest, in the backyard of his family's home in Aumsville.
Under clear blue skies, Ty made his final approach, in the bed of his green pick-up truck. His mom Trina, his dad Mike, two brothers and his wife rode with him. United States Marines carried his casket from the truck to his final resting place.
"This is Ty's home," Trina said. "For us to lay him to rest at home would fulfill his wishes."
Lance Corporal Hart was among 12 Marines who were killed when two helicopters collided during a training mission off the coast of Hawaii in January. Hart's body was the first to be found.
"He went out and did exactly what he wanted to do," Trina said. "He achieved all of his dreams he wanted to do."
A funeral procession led by law enforcement, and flanked by Patriot Guard riders, stretched nearly a quarter-mile long. Police briefly closed Airport Road and Interstate 205 as the procession made its way to the Hart's home.
"We have really hard moments, but we have such an incredible support system," Trina Hart said. "All of us are very close."
Hart joined the United States Marine Corps shortly after graduating from Stayton High School. He played football for the Eagles and was on the wrestling team and competed in track and field.
"We talk about Ty nonstop," Trina said. "He's just a part of our daily life."
For many, Hart was best known for his smile. At his burial service, yellow smiley-faced balloons were tied to just about everything, including his memorial.
"Remember him for his huge smile," his wife Hannah Hart said. "And, his love of life, and his love of living life."
U.S. Marine performed Taps, a 21-gun salute and presented the American flag to the Hart family. It's not the way the family wanted Hart to come home, but he's home.
"You don't get closer than this to being home, and I think that means more than anything to our family," Trina Hart said. "We're going to go ahead and put our flag back up tomorrow, so that our community knows that Ty's home and it's okay to start healing."
To continue his legacy, the Hart family established the Ty Hart Memorial Scholarship, a non-profit scholarship opportunity for high school student athletes.
"Ty was a dedicated athlete, and we were fortunate to be able to provide for all his equipment needs. We'd like to use all donations to provide those opportunities to someone else who, like Ty, loves and lives sports," Trina Hart stated online. "Those who cannot afford the fee to participate on a team, we want to help. We will not discriminate based on the sport or the school, because that isn't something Ty would want. While we are Eagles at heart, every high school student deserves to have an equal opportunity to play the sport that their heart is in."
So far, the Hart family has raised more than $30,000.