Dozens Of Military Members Attend Funeral Of 5-Year-Old Whose Biggest Dream Was To Be 'Army Man'

Jul 01, 2019 by apost team

The funeral of a five-year-old boy in Camden, Arkansas included a touching tribute. The service took place on June 25 at the First Baptist Church of Cullendale.

River “Oakley” Nimmo was diagnosed with cancer at the age of two and fought the dreaded disease for the better part of his life. Oakley experienced a period of remission in 2017. Despite the optimism of family members, cancer returned a short time later.

Everyone who was fortunate enough to know Oakley described him as a fighter and will readily attest to the fact they have never met a tougher human being. The five-year-old knew exactly what he wanted to be if given the chance to grow up. In his free time, Oakley liked to drive power wheels and 'shoot' toy guns. His dream job was 'army man', as he would put it in his own words.

apost.com

Oakley's parents, Colton and Shelby Nimmo, wanted their son's funeral to reflect the big dreams he held for himself. The parents informed readers of a support page for their son that they would be honoring his dream to be an 'army man' at his funeral. They asked that any active duty military personnel or veterans who would like to take part in the tribute appear in uniform.

Shelby and Colton ended the message by saying it was their hope to send their son off with the bang he deserved.

Shelby and Colton could never have imagined the response they would get from the military personnel in the area. The National Guard of Arkansas came through with an Honorary Colonel promotion for Oakley. The National Guard announced the promotion on their Facebook page. The page also expressed their condolences to Oakley's family and wished a peaceful rest for the little 'army man.'

Dozens of National Guard Members in Arkansas appeared in full dress uniform for Oakley's funeral. Major William Phillips was one National Guard member who showed his support for Oakley. He says it is part of his responsibility to the community. He says Arkansans are supposed to offer support to each other during their times of need.

Shelby and Colton expressed their appreciation for members of the Arkansas National Guard as well as the many individuals across the country who have offered their support and condolences to their family. There is a GoFundMe page set up in Oakley's honor to help with the cost of purchasing a headstone. Anyone who would like to support this effort should visit the page.

What do you think about this story? Do you agree that this was the perfect way to say goodbye to Oakley? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass this article along to your loved ones to keep this brave little army man's memory alive!