15 Marines Couldn’t Make It Home For Thanksgiving… What This Mom Did Is Incredible

28 Nov, 2015 by Terresa Monroe-Hamilton

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One mom did an incredibly moving and kind deed for 15 Marines this Thanksgiving. When Heidi Barfield found out that these heroes could not make it home for turkey day, she opened her home to them and laid out a feast in their honor. They have served their country and now Heidi and her family are serving them. Justin Hanes, Barfield’s son, said he wanted to make sure his fellow Marines at Naval Air Station Jacksonville had somewhere to spend the holiday. What a wonderful and honorable thing to do. It made the holiday for these Marines and it meant the world to them.

From IJReview:

When a Florida mom found out that fifteen Marines weren’t able to make it home for Thanksgiving, she chose to show them her family’s appreciation for their service in a moving way.

The mom, Heidi Barfield, added fifteen seats at her Orange Park dinner table Thursday.

As the Marines arrived via school bus, Barfield was there to thank each one individually before dinner started.

When Barfield was asked about what she did, she told Jacksonville’s Fox25 News:

“These young men and women have written a blank check to the United States of America for up to and including their life. If it came to that, could we peel an extra potato or a 40-pound turkey, you bet.”
One Marine explained how he felt about the act by saying it “meant the world to him.”

Hats off to Barfield, who showed exactly how our men and women in uniform deserve to be treated for their selfless sacrifice and courageous service.

“Hi guys. Welcome home,” Heidi Barfield said as the group walked off the bus. She greeted each one of them and welcomed them to her home for the holiday. Many of her son’s friends have family thousands of miles away and couldn’t make it home for Thanksgiving. Barfield said she wanted to make sure they didn’t spend Thanksgiving alone. WJAX reported that local and out-of-state businesses donated gift cards and 40 pounds of turkey. A local church also donated a bus to bring the Marines to the Barfield’s home. Barfield’s son PFC. Justin Hanes told WJAX that he was grateful to share Thanksgiving with his fellow Marines. “My house is your house, so I just made sure everyone knew they had somewhere to stay,” Hanes said. Barfield said she was happy to host them and saw it as an opportunity to thank the men and women who protect us every day. We should all do things like this… it is giving thanks for those who make it possible for us to live in the freest nation on earth.