Ride Report posted for Cheryl Riley

Another success story.


No matter how the story starts, it always ends the same, with smiles all around.

The staging was scheduled for 3:45 since the flight bringing Sgt Ostrander home was due in at 3:45 that would leave everyone time to get to their staging area while the Sgt was getting his things. We would meet him en route. WRONG!

His flight would be an hour early. I got the call while in a meeting at work. OK, what to do? Stall! Nancy, the Sgt’s sister said she could delay him. That would be easy since nobody had expected their mom to drive 10 hours overnight from Kentucky and show up on a doorstep at 5:00 am to see her son. They would just ask him to get into uniform for a suprise (mom would be waiting out in the limo for them). Needless to say seeing mom was great.

Peter wasn’t just coming home, he was bringing his family back stateside after being based in Germany for the last several years. While in Germany he was deployed to Iraq for 15 months. So now we have not only brought home a soldier but also his wife Amber, his 6yr old son Dalton and his baby girl Ava age 3. What an awesome family reunion!.

Once again local LEO’s came thru. Our Thanks go out to those men and women  in uniform who seem to always find a way to make it special. And not to be forgotten, Engine 1234 from McHenry FD, you are always there, Thank you.

As we cirlced the blocks surrounding Peter’s other sister Stephanie’s house, the neighbors all came out to see another hero coming home. Besides the usual presentation of the thread, the coin ( which I recently learned to pass properly and causeing him to smile in recognition) and the mission beads, we also gave his children a little toy and red roses to Amber (the wife) and Mom for their love and support of Peter.

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After our presentation I was happy to see that once again Mayor Sue Low of McHenry was able to join us in Welcoming Home Sgt Ostrander. After reading a proclaimation, she presented a framed copy to Peter to always remind him of how thankful we are to him for the service he has preformed  for his country.

A special “Thank You” to all the family, friends, neighbors and WWR that helped to make this “another successful mission”!