The cold morning air was no match for the fired up crowd that was outside Evans Elementary School on Jan. 24 to give Marine Cpl. Michael Sheridan a rock-star like surprise welcome home from his deployment in Afghanistan.
Operation Yellow Ribbon of South Jersey, a volunteer charity group focused on supporting troops through care packages and welcoming events, enlisted the help of family, friends, students, members of the community, emergency services and more to make the day possible.
“Honestly I was stunned,” Sheridan said. “Just stunned that someone could put this together for me.”
The day started normally enough, with Sheridan going out to breakfast with his family. However, upon exiting the Marlton Diner, Sheridan was greeted with his own personal motorcade.
The group consisted of an Evehsam Police vehicle and members of the Warriors’ Watch Riders, a troop support group of motorcycle enthusiasts. Too cold for their cycles, the group had a pickup truck adorned with American flags.
The group guided Sheridan through traffic to Evans, and upon exiting his truck Sheridan shook hands with members of the Evesham Fire-Rescue and Police Department, who were waiting for Sheridan under the shadow of a massive American flag hanging from the raised ladder of a fire engine.
Sheridan, 22, joined the U.S. Marine in Feb. 2010 and was promoted to his current rank on Jan. 3 of this year. He is part of the 6th Communications Battalion, Brooklyn New York where he handled radio operations.
Now back home in South Jersey and given such a welcome, Sheridan said being home was the greatest thing ever.
“Being home, you could never ask for anything better,” Sheridan said. “You’ll never understand unless you go.”
Once Sheridan entered his former school, he was greeted with the cheering sounds of hundreds of Evans’ students and others.
He was joined on stage by his parents and girlfriend, and he received special accolades from Assemblyman Chris Brown and BOE board member Sandy Student, along with stories from his past recounted by his former eighth grade social studies teacher and now Evans’ principal Nick DiBlasi.
Dave Silver, of OYRSJ, said freedom was one of society’s greatest gifts and far too often people take it for granted, so it was important to always thank the troops when they return home.
“Anytime you can be the person to look a returning veteran in the eyes and see the shock of all these people waiting, how cool is that,” Silver said.
Sheridan’s mother Heidi had trouble finding the words to describe seeing her son at such an event.
“This was unbelievably awesome,” Heidi Sheridan said. “I’m extremely proud of him.”
Also at the event was Alyssa Carter, who has been Sheridan’s girlfriend for the four years of his entire military service career. She’s been more than glad to have him home.
“Oh my god I’m so excited,” Carter said. “He’s not just my boyfriend, he’s my best friend. I miss him so much.”
Sheridan is home on leave until April and has two more years left on his contract. After that he’s thinking about becoming a police officer.
“I joined the Marine Corps to serve and protect,“ Sheridan said. “And if I’m not in the Marine Corps I still want to serve and protect.”
