The Central Texas town of Elgin opened its heart Tuesday to remember a fallen Marine and one of their own.
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KVUE's Jim Bergamo reports
>The US Department of Defense has not released specific details on the passing of Captain Joshua Meadows, but friends tell KVUE News he died from wounds suffered during a special forces mission in Afghanistan.
The marquee sign at Southside Market and Barbecue refers to to Meadows as an American hero, and there are similar signs elsewhere in Elgin.
On the western edge of Elgin along Highway 290, the electronic sign at Prosperity Bank remembers Meadows, the 30-year-old Marine killed Saturday in Afghanistan.
"That is one of our family. We see him as one of our family -- even though he is not blood kin, he is community kin and we really hold dear to that, him and his family we just lift them up in our prayers as we all mourn over him," said Jeff Carter, president of the Prosperity Bank of Elgin.
Meadows graduated Elgin High School in 1997. Michelle Wenzel was a classmate.
"Oh what a character, very popular, everybody knew him but he was a good kid," Wenzel said.
Meadows loved baseball, but those who knew him say it was no surprise that he joined the Marines right out of high school.
"He followed his dad's footsteps, and his dad was in the military, and his dad was a great man too, who died here some years ago, and I felt like that he would end up in that career path, and he took it wholeheartedly, 100 percent," Carter said.
Meadows had been deployed overseas several times, often as a helicopter pilot, but friends were told he was killed during a non-flying, Special Forces mission, leaving this tightly knit community grieving his loss.
"Just knowing his mother and his sister, I just felt terrible for their family, it is just a horrible thing for them to have to go through, but they are a real good family and I know they will make it, but it is hard to deal with," Wenzel said.
"You cannot image the effect it has on the community, and I think as a mother, we just want them to know that we are all praying for them and that they will get through this," said family friend Beverly Allen.
Carter says Meadows was a devout Christian, and his father was baptized shortly before he died of cancer about a decade ago.
"He is with his dad right now I know... and they are just having the biggest time," Carter said.
With his father and Joshua now gone, the only immediate surviving members of the family are Joshua's mother and sister.
Both left this morning for Delaware where they will receive his casket.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Meadows was stationed at Camp Pendleton.
His wife remains in California -- the couple was expecting their first child.
