One of Neil's comrades speaks: "His family shared in the courage and strength of the man they loved," he says. "Now they must face their grief and life without him. The sorrow is lonely. They are not alone."
The service ends with the family slowly following the casket out the door. Tears stream down Dvorin's face. Outside, bagpipes play as pallbearers load the casket into a hearse.
On his way home, Dvorin stops at Marlboro Cemetery in Monmouth County, to visit Seth's grave. "I'll be buried right here," he says, pointing to a patch of ground at the foot of the grave. A few steps away rests a man killed in the World Trade Center in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Dvorin picks up a stone and places it on Seth's grave. He kisses the headstone, and reads the epitaph for the hundredth or so time: "Loving son, brother, husband and friend, died while bravely serving his country. His zest for life, for love, and sacrifice will not be forgotten."
--
erika.hayasaki@latimes.com
