STUART — Two Riviera Beach City Police Department detectives were honored Friday by the Martin County Veterans Council for making certain a homeless, 61-year-old Vietnam veteran received a proper military funeral.

Other than the military honor detail and cemetery employees, the detectives were the only people at the service.

“He died alone, but he had served his country. We just didn’t want him to go to an anonymous grave,” said Detective Jeremy Summers, who came to Stuart to VFW Post 4194 Friday to receive the official thanks. The other detective, Sgt. Patrick Galligan, was unable to come because of a family matter.

“We wanted to let them know that all veterans appreciate what you do for one veteran,” said Bill Shaw, a retired Army major and pilot of a White House helicopter, who flew presidents and dignitaries for some 15 years.

The detectives stepped in last summer when the remains of Gary Dale Wilson were found near his camp in a patch of woods. There were no family members to claim his remains and they arranged his funeral at the new South Florida National Cemetery.

The veterans took Summers to Shaw’s home to view his extensive collection of White House memorabilia, then to see a home being built for homeless veterans and then to a dinner at the VFW Post in Hobe Sound, where plaques recognizing the actions of the two officers were presented.

Summers is a graduate of the Hobe Sound Bible Academy and the Indian River Community College police academy in 1987. He has done law enforcement work in Pahokee and Riviera Beach.

Tags: Gary Dale Wilson, homeless, Jeremy Summers, Military, Patrick Galligan, police, Riviera Beach, veteran

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