Honoring service, sacrifice of a fallen soldier

Friday, Oct. 20, 2017

SWAINSBORO, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) --The pain in the town of Swainsboro is visible.

Every storefront in town is decorated with red, white, and blue ribbon. To honor not just a hero, but their hero, Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright.

Laid to rest, after an ambush in Niger killed him and three other U.S. soldiers.

"When I learned it was one of ours, one of our babies that I taught, that I work with here in Swainsboro high school, it really touched my heart,” said Cherie Hooks.

Dustin graduated from a Toombs County school but spent his earlier years in Swainsboro.

“Dustin was the cutest little, freckled face blue-eyed, chubby cheeks all American kid”, remembers Hooks.

His former teacher, Cherie Hooks, says Dustin’s family is leaning on each other and now the community for support.

"They are just excited that people want to honor Dustin," says Hooks.

His former school plans to honor him tonight with a balloon release and moment of silence.

One where many will pray they never have to etch another name into a wall of fallen heroes.