A community in Arizona came together earlier this week to honor a veteran most did not know.
Hundreds came to the Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Marana, Arizona, on Tuesday to pay their respects to Darrell Lee Arelt, a Vietnam veteran who had no known family to contact after he died from a short illness in November.
Arelt, 73, an Army veteran, served as a second lieutenant during the war.
Nick De Gennaro, owner of the mobile home park where Arelt resided, and his wife, stepped up to create the memorial service when he discovered Arelt was an unaccompanied veteran with no known next of kin. Arelt lived in the mobile park for about four and a half years prior to his death. His illness took him rather quickly, De Gennaro said, and after he died, the landlord noticed no close friends or family members came to the hospital or arranged funeral services. De Gennaro and his wife took it upon themselves to make sure this veteran wouldn’t be forgotten.
“He was a very nice guy, and unfortunately, we didn’t know him all that long,” De Gennaro told 13 News in Tucson shortly before the funeral. “But, you know, I think anyone who would be in a situation like that deserves to be cared for in that way, and remembered in that way, and that’s all we’re trying to do.”
Reaction Was Swift
Surprisingly, within three days of sharing Arelt’s plight, De Gennaro said the response was “amazing.”
“Originally, we were thinking it would be just myself and my wife,” De Gennaro said. “But now, there’s going to be many people there. And that’s going to be a wonderful thing.”
The support for Arelt couldn’t have happened without assistance from the Marana community, local and statewide veterans groups, and others just looking to lend a hand, making sure a veteran isn’t alone when receiving his final sendoff.
De Gennaro was proud to see his efforts go a long way.
“What became maybe a service for just a couple of people became a service here today for several hundred who could attend,” De Gennaro told NBC 12 News in Arizona.
De Gennaro regrets not finding a close relative to handle Arelt’s funeral services, but he helped to make sure he received proper burial in a veterans cemetery.
“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to find anyone that he was in contact with recently, or anyone who fit that bill. We did find out, though, that he’s a veteran, and we knew that it was a possibility that he could be placed here,” De Gennaro said.
Service Groups Rise Up to Help
Arelt’s story spread through social media and local news coverage and it captured the eyes of Arizona veterans. Gable Cundiff, CVMA Chapter Commander, shared Arelt’s situation with other veterans organizations, sparking more interest.
“I took that information and sent it to every combat vets chapter in the state of Arizona,” Cundiff said. “I sent it to the patriot guard and got the word out.”
While Cundiff and De Gennaro probably expected a strong continent of veterans to attend, they didn’t plan on several hundred to come out to honor the veteran. Arelt’s funeral received the traditional military sendoff with honor guard, “Taps,” a color guard, and a 21-gun salute.
Rich Havens, a local veteran, said Arelt’s story signifies that the community can band together for a veteran in need.
“This type of situation shows what Marana, Oro Valley, and Southern Arizona are all about,” Havens said.
Since he was closest to Arelt, De Gennaro received the folded American flag normally given to a veteran’s family at the memorial service. However, he hopes someone who knew Arelt on a more personal level can come forward to claim the flag.
“Whether it’s a week or a month or a year from now, they can contact us and say, ‘Hey, we knew Darrell,”’ De Gennaro said.
