A small Polk County town is honoring the life of a fallen soldier in a big way.
Lake Hamilton recently unveiled a memorial wall to honor those who paid the ultimate price.
Sergeant John Reiners was one of those soldiers. Reiners was killed in action in 2010 serving in the Army in Afghanistan. He was 24 years old. His name is engraved on a plaque on the wall.
Reiners’ mother, Ronna Jackson showed her 8-year-old grandson the tribute to his dad this weekend.
“It’s great for him to be able to see that his dad’s hometown will never forget his dad and the legacy that he leaves behind,” Jackson said. “He was just a good all-around small town kid.”
His 8-year-old son, who lives out of state, plans to one day bring his kids to share his dad’s legacy. It’s a gift from this town Jackson said is priceless.
“I too grew up in Lake Hamilton and this may be a little bitty town but there’s a lot of love and a lot of support in this little town and community,” she said.
The town’s mayor, Marlene Wagner agrees. She said the entire project was built solely with donations and volunteers.
“I think it was surprising because it kept snowballing and to get it completely finished on our deadline was just amazing," Wagner said.
It’s an amazing tribute to those who paid the ultimate price. A tribute Jackson and her grandson couldn’t be more proud of.
The mayor said the town will hold a special ceremony at the wall every year, a few days before the Fourth of July to honor those who served.