Friends, family, soldiers and students at Everest Academy remembered a local hero Friday, raising the flag in honor of PFC Joseph A. Miracle, who died fighting in Afghanistan.
‘It was difficult to bring it all back again,? said Judy Miracle, teacher at Everest and Joseph’s mother. ‘It’s like opening a wound, but it brought meaning to the students, which is why I went through it. It was for them to see history in action.?
Soldiers raised the flag, while students at the Clarkston Road school led the assemble in the ‘Pledge of Allegience? and ‘God Bless America.?
‘My greatest sympathy goes to the family,? said U.S. Army Sgt. Larry Collier. ‘I hope they continue on, like Joe wanted them.?
‘He is a special man, glad to have him serve our country,? said SFC Kevin Donnellon. ‘Any soul we lose overseas is a great loss to us.?
Miracle was born Nov. 6, 1984, in Pontiac to Glenn and Judy Miracle. He grew up in Ortonville, the youngest of seven children. He was a 2003 Brandon High School graduate and a devoted churchgoer.
Miracle once went with a youth group to Mexico during his spring break to do missionary work, and returned home with nothing but the clothes on his back and a smile, having given his entire luggage away to the poor.
He signed up for the Army in April, 2006, and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 173rd Airborne Brigade, Vicenza, Italy.
Before his deployment to Afghanistan, Judy invited Joe to visit her class, dressed in his Army uniform, so students could ask him about what it was like being a soldier.
He had been in Afghanistan for 35 days when his unit was ambushed. He was killed in combat against 30-40 insurgents, for which he received several awards, including Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and NATO Badge.