12-Year-Old Named Honorary Marine As Dying Wish

The United States Marines don't typically name people as an honorary Marine, but one 12-year-old was given just that honor while he laid on his deathbed. The young man, Cody Green, had been battling cancer since he was 22 months old and was cancer-free after beating the disease three times, but his lowered immune system left him susceptible to other serious issues; a fungus attacked his brain which is what ultimately took his life.

Before he passed away, the Marines made him an honorary Marine and gave him his navigator wings. One Marine decided that was not enough for a young man who had battled hard without complaint. Sergeant Mark Dolfini stood guard outside Cody's hospital room for eight hours the night he passed away. Standing guard is something not often done except in the case of highly important people. In this situation, Cody Green deserved the honor.

The Marines were not the only to realize just how courageous Cody was, in fact his school principal and those around him never heard a negative word about his situation. His principal made the call to students to let them know Cody had passed away. The trees outside the school were decorated with green ribbon, and a day was spent at the school with students and faculty celebrating the young man. Students, teachers, family, friends, and the Marines attended Cody's funeral to say goodbye. This boy embodied what the Marines' stand for and sadly never made it to adulthood. Not all soldiers get to grow old, unfortunately this young soldier left this world long before his time.