Marines with Recruiting Station Denver visited a veteran Marine at the St. Anthony Hospital & Medical Campus in Lakewood, CO June 29, 2016.
The veteran, 77-year-old Richard Mathis, fell and broke his neck approximately three weeks prior to the visit.
Richard’s family was visiting him as well when the Marines arrived.
“I know it’s just so encouraging, there is nobody else that means as much to him as a Marine,” said Janet Mathis, wife of Richard. “I think he loved it. Even after all these years of not being in the service, he appreciates the Marines so much and what they’re doing. He just loves Marines.”
According to his son, Lee Mathis, it’s the Marine Corps mentality that has helped Richard make such a smooth recovery, something he says this visit further proved.
“He has always been very proud of his service and what he did,” said Lee. “The Marine Corps is definitely a big part of his identity, which is how I think he overcomes things like this. It’s really cool that the Marines would come and visit him. It shows the quality of the men and women in the Marine Corps to come down and do that for a fellow Marine.”
While the Mathis family showed generosity for the visit, the Marines also expressed admiration from their time with Richard.
“It’s humbling to show our support and what being true means to us,” said Staff Sgt. Scott Rosenbach, a recruiter with RS Denver. “We say we have camaraderie, that it’s ‘once a Marine, always a Marine.’ For the rest of the population who don’t say those words on a daily basis, this shows them what that phrase means to us.”
The youngest Marine in attendance, Lance Cpl. Luis Acosta, a maintenance management specialist with Combat Logistics Battalion 453, said the experience was inspiring.
“I’m 20 and I’ve only been in for two years, and he’s 77; I haven’t even gotten to do anything compared to what he did,” said Acosta. “To be in front of someone who has done so much amazes me. Getting to be there with his family and everyone else - this is the reason why I came into the recruiting office. It’s because of that sense of brotherhood you feel – even if I don’t know them, but I see their uniform, or the way they dress and behave, I know I can connect with them through that Marine Corps bond.”