Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Boy made honorary Marine before death

FLORA, Ind. (WLFI) - 12-year-old Cody Green has always admired the strength and courage of the marines. At 12:35 Saturday afternoon, it was the Marines admiring the strength and courage of Cody.

Cody had leukemia since he was 22 months old, but beat the disease three times. Although he was cancer-free, the chemotherapy lowered his immune system and Saturday afternoon, he died from a fungus that attacked his brain. Members of the Marines decided to step in and do something.

"They decided Cody, with the strength and honor and courage he showed through the whole thing, he should be a Marine," said Cody's father David Snowberger.

Cody was given Marine navigator wings and was made an honorary member of the United States Marine Corps. For one Marine, that wasn't enough, so he did even more.

"The night before Cody passed, he stood guard at Cody's door at the hospital all night long for eight hours straight," said Snowberger.
http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/news/local/boy-made-honorary-marine-before-death

+1,

Whew....!
Thank God for the few among "the few, the proud".....
It's enough to give an American hope!
Godspeed young Cody! A battle well waged....

And I was just telling my mom this morning how I don't cry anymore.

Amen.

well said

Semper Fi.

R.I.P. Cody Green

Marines always take care of their own.....

RIP Cody, and Godspeed.

All of a sudder the screen is blurry.

R I P Cody you embody true guts it takes to be a Marine.

Real manhood there. Good job, Marines.

And if you look real close see, the thumb, right along the stripe. Feet 45%. A very nice POA.

Much respect to The family, and especially to that marine in particular.

Semper Fi Cody.

I can't say that... Godspeed Cody...RIP

Suffer the little children to come unto Me.....And He took them up into His arms.

Rest in those arms in peace, young Marine. I know you will.

R.I.P. young man. Thank you for the post.

+1 to all the postings.

Semper Fi Marine

Godspeed young man

Wow....

If I could only be young enough again, to earn that title. I thank God for our young people who have this kind of mettle.

The Marines have been laying their lives on the line for the hopeful futures of little kids like him. This young Lad displayed the sand and the Marines responded by opening their hearts and making him one of their own. My Salute to the Young Lad may he Rest in Peace, and the US Marines who have taken him in as one of their own.

Thanks for the post, Schreck...

To the Colors

This story

This picture

Front and Center

Deserves to be there for awhile.

Cody's story actually brought tears to my eyes, was what I meant to imply, Keith. Hit me pretty hard, actually.
(A good thing)

that made me cry.

What an incredible story of honor and courage. God bless Cody, and the USMC.

Prayers for both...

�A memorial service for 12-year-old Marine Cody Green will be held at Carroll Elementary School this weekend and the Marines will be giving Cody a full military funeral...

All contributions will be donated to the cancer unit at Riley Children's Hospital.�


By Daily Mail Reporter and Meghan Keneally
PUBLISHED: 06:16 EST, 2 May 2012

Throughout his short life, young Cody Green had admired the bravery of the U.S. Marines.

But after years spent battling leukemia, it was the youngster's courage fighting cancer which inspired his heroes to honour his bravery.
The 12-year-old from Indiana had suffered from the disease throughout his life. First diagnosed just before his second birthday, he had beaten leukaemia three times - but the chemotherapy had reduced his immune system and, last weekend, he died from a fungus which attacked his brain.
And standing guard outside his hospital room that night was a local Marine named Mark Dolfini who was so moved by Cody's continued cancer battle that he decreed the 12-year-old to be a honorary member of the elite military unit.
*****
Close family friend Keristen Ford told MailOnline that Cody was a 'witty' and determined child who never let his continued battles with cancer hurt his spirits.
'He was very aware of his illness he knew exactly what medications he was on and what time he should have them,' Ms Ford said.
'He knew that by him knowing when he had to take his medications and what they were, his mom had to worry less. He was very worried about anyone leaving sleep over him.
*****
His mother Tracy Green certainly had a lot on her mind over the past few months, as Cody had two younger brothers and two older stepbrothers.
On top of that, Ms Green was seriously injured at the Indiana State Fair as the country band Sugarland's stage fell. Seven people were killed, and Ms Green was one of the 58 injured. She had to have 30 staples in her skull and had steel rods and pins placed in her leg.
As she recovered, Cody was characteristically caring, helping his mother wash her hair when she had trouble moving in the months following the August 2011 stage collapse
'When I started walking again after the incident, he was so worried about me, saying "you need to keep your feet up Mom! You have to watch your step,"' Mrs Green told MailOnline.
*****
'He never complained, he never said "why me?" or "I don't want to do this".
'If he got sick, he would finish and say "I'm sorry" because you were holding the bucket for him. I always told him that he had nothing to be sorry about.'
Cody's repeat cancer battle inspired the local Marines, who thought 'he�s fought as hard as any marine has and because of that we�re going to honour him'.
They planned to give him a complete colour guard spectacle, but because Cody's condition was less stable following a stem cell procedure on March 12, they had to suspend those plans for fear of infecting Cody's sensitive immune system.
*****
'He had a passion for our country and our military and it was more the marines got sparked in Cody and they heard of his battle,' Ms Ford told MailOnline.
The youngster's father David Snowberger told local station WLFI: 'They decided Cody, with the strength and honour and courage he showed through the whole thing, he should be a Marine.
*****
When Cody's condition took a turn for the worse on Friday night, his family got in touch with a local Marine who said that he would rush to the hospital to be with the boy during his final hours.
Former Marine Mark Dolfini, 39, who was introduced to Cody through Mr Snowberger, presented the boy with a flag and Marine navigator wings.
'Unfortunately, Cody was not awake, he was on a ventilator, but we believe he knew,' Ms Ford said, having been at the hospital at the time of the ceremony
*****
In keeping with the Corps motto of Semper Fidelis, Latin for always faithful, the Marine stood post outside of Cody's door all night, saluting Mrs Green as she went in and out of the room, right up until Cody passed on Saturday.
'The night before Cody passed, he stood guard at Cody's door at the hospital all night long for eight hours straight,' Mr Snowberger said.
[Sgt.] Dolfini, who was initially hesitant to go public for fear it would take away from Cody's story, spoke with MailIOnline, telling how he knew he had to spend the night guarding Cody's door because it was what he deserved.
'There was no question that was my calling that night,' he said.
'I didn�t give myself a time constraint and I knew I was going to be there as long as I could be.'
The Marine Corp's website states that the title of 'Honorary Marine' reinforces the special bond between the American people and the Corps by 'recognizing individuals in the civilian community who have made extraordinary contributions to the Marine Corps.
*****
'The title Marine is a revered designation that affords a special distinction to those who earn it.
'Therefore, only the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) can officially designate an individual as an "Honorary Marine".'
Cody - described by his father as 'a comedian' - was a fifth grade student at Carroll Elementary School in Flora, and his friends spent the first day back at school after his death honouring his memory.
Balloons in his favourite colour of green were released, carrying messages into the sky; green ribbons were tied round the trees and friends hugged each other while wearing green T-shirts and chanting his name.
'He was very witty,' Ms Ford told MailOnline.
*****
'He was very comical. He always made you laugh, and he would always one up you because you couldn�t come up with good comeback quick enough for him! It was as if he had a whole book of them or something!'
His obituary on Jconline reads: 'He never asked "Why Me," and fought the illness with grace and humility, never complaining about his treatment or care, saying "Thank you" to the many health care professionals that cared for him.
'Cody had a great sense of humor and he was always worried about everybody else and their well-being, he dearly loved his family.'
*****
A memorial service for the 12-year-old will be held at Carroll Elementary School this weekend and the Marines will be giving Cody a full military funeral, full with a color guard, tap, and 21-gun salute.

All contributions will be donated to the cancer unit at Riley Children's Hospital.
*****

There are more photos at this link.
If you can handle them.
I cannot.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...d-hospital-night-died.html#ixzz1tudT2TAP

God bless the boy and the Marine who stood guard over him!

Thanks for the great story. My tear ducts are working well. We lost my wife's son last year to leukemia, so I am always touched by these stories. As a veteran, I am immensely proud of the Marine Corp or the fine young marine who did this noble thing. It speaks highly of all of our men and women serving in our forces. Semper Fi.

Mart

THANK YOU MARINES! Gods speed Cody

Semper fi little devil pup.

God speed.

Semper Fi......... thanks to the Sargeant.

God Bless All

Shows a few things:

- How precious our time here is
- How awesome some people can be- Thanks Marines!
- We should all be thankful

Made me well up. Showed the wife, she cried and hugged our kids.

Agree with all posted before me. I am never surprised, but always impressed with the behavior of the men (and women) in the Marines.

And I am humbled by the courage that young men like the one in this story has shown with the cards he has been dealt. It reminds me how trivial my problems really are and wish I could have a fraction of the resolve that he had.

Cody E. Green, 12

Cody E. Green, 12, of rural Flora, died Saturday, April 28, 2012, at 12:45 p.m. at Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis. He was diagnosed with A.L.L., a form of leukemia, in late 2001. He was treated and was in remission until a relapse in 2007, treated again and was in remission until relapsing again October 15, 2011. He had been a patient at Riley since March 2, 2012. He never asked "Why Me," and fought the illness with grace and humility, never complaining about his treatment or care, saying "Thank you," to the many health care professionals that cared for him. For this, he was rewarded with Honorary Marine from the United States Marine Corps.

He was born January 27, 2000, in Lafayette, to his mother Tracy L. Adams Green and his biological father Duane E. Green, of Texas. He was in the 5th grade at Carroll Elementary School, Flora, where he enjoyed his friends and classmates who supported and helped Cody when he was able to be in school. He attended church at White Horse Christian Center in West Lafayette. He was active with Cub Scouts and enjoyed riding his dirt bike, four wheelers, swimming and the NFL team New Orleans Saints football team. Cody had a great sense of humor and he was always worried about everybody else and their well-being, he dearly loved his family.

Surviving are his mom and dad, Tracy L. Adams Green and David Snowberger, of rural Camden; two brothers, Eric and Andrew Green; two step brothers, Rollie and Bryan Snowberger, of Logansport; two step sisters, Erica and Brooklynn Snowberger, of Logansport; maternal grandparents Sherry and Curtis Adams, of Oxford; paternal grandparents Sharon "Penny" Green, of Shadeland, and Alisa Guynn St. Joseph, IL; paternal great-grandparents Jaye and Karen Stover, Sour Lake, TX; and aunts and uncles.

Cody was preceded in death by grandparents Everett Green; "GG" Stover; Marjorie and Clyde Adams; Leland and Lillis Nichols.

Friends may call Saturday, May 5, from 11 a.m. until his funeral at 3 p.m. at Carroll Elementary School, Flora. Pastor Jeff Johns officiating, private family committal service. Memorial contributions to Riley Hospital for Children, envelopes available at the school. Baker-Abbott Funeral Home, Flora, in charge of arrangements. www.baker-abbottfh.com.

Published in the Journal & Courier on May 1, 2012