Jeremy Brilliant/Eyewitness News
Indianapolis - Hoosiers are mourning the deaths of three Indiana soldiers.
Gary Henry was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. He served as an Indianapolis firefighter. The same bomb also killed 22-year-old Specialist Jonathan Menke from Madison. A third soldier died after getting hurt in a crash in Iraq. Sergeant Brian Miller from Pendleton was 37 years old.
Those who knew Gary Henry best - his family, friends and colleagues - gathered to remember his life and his contributions Wednesday.
Relatives are coming to terms with the loss of a father and husband. A department publicly displayed its grief: two families remembered Gary Henry, a man they say gave so much to so many.
"You cannot believe how proud I am of my boy," said Gary Henry, Sr.
Commander of IFD's Special Operations Division, Henry was a trained paramedic. When it came time to deploy to Iraq with the National Guard, he insisted on taking along a medic's bag adding to his responsibilities as a military policeman.
"He could never say never. He would always try everything. It didn't make any difference what it was. He wanted to excel at everything," said Henry Sr.
In addition to being a fire department captain and a sergeant in the National Guard, Gary Henry was also a reserve Marion County Sheriff's deputy.
"He wore his uniforms proudly and was the true definition of a public servant and a hero," said Chief Brian Sanford, Indianapolis Fire Department.
"He's given more to community, his state and his nation than many people combined ever have," said Major Shawn Gardner, Indiana National Guard.
A man who was admired and adored for his selflessness is now remembered for his sacrifice.
Gary Henry leaves behind three children and a wife plus countless friends and family who never got to say goodbye. Funeral arrangements are not yet set, but there will likely be a processional with full military and fire department honors through the streets of Indianapolis sometime next week.
