Honoring A Fallen Hero In Wilton
CONNECTICUT NEWS
Honoring A Fallen Hero In Wilton
12:17 PM EDT, September 12, 2006
News Channel 8
WILTON -- A Connecticut hero was laid to rest in his hometown today. Army Private Nicholas Madaras was buried today in Wilton. The 19-year-old died while on duty in Iraq on September 3rd; his family and friends gathered today for his funeral. With a police escort, Army Private First Class Nicholas Madaras came home to Wilton to Our Lady of Fatima for a final farewell. "It speaks volumes about him and the way he was raised." Scott Gance knew Madaras on the soccer field -- he was a player, coach and referee. "Nick was always out there to help the kids. He was just great with them, they responded well when he refereed, he would explain to them so they'd learn." The church was packed; seats and speakers were set up outside for the overflow. Some who attended didn't even know the 19-year-old but are proud and thankful to the young soldier. Dana Nickel says, "We just wanted to come out and support him for having supported our country and what he did for our country was honorable, we felt we needed to come out and pay our respects." Nicole Kouvaris says, "Did not know him, but I grew up in Wilton and I just feel honored that he supported us and grew up here and went to the war for us. Just an amazing choice he made." "It's sad. We were at the wake last night and just seeing him there and his family mourning him, but he went, and it's just - he chose to go knowing when he enlisted he knew he would go. It's just amazing because it must have been so scary," says Nickel. Once a little boy, Madaras grew up to be a soldier and a hometown hero. Madaras was buried with full military honors at Hill Side Cemetery in Wilton. His family was presented with the American Flag and several military medals including the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. |
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http://www.courant.com/news/local/hc-madaras0912-wtnh,0,6503059.story
Honoring A Fallen Hero In Wilton News Channel 8 September 12 2006, 12:17 PM EDT WILTON -- A Connecticut hero was laid to rest in his hometown today. Army Private Nicholas Madaras was buried today in Wilton. The 19-year-old died while on duty in Iraq on September 3rd; his family and friends gathered today for his funeral. With a police escort, Army Private First Class Nicholas Madaras came home to Wilton to Our Lady of Fatima for a final farewell. His mother, father, younger brother, and sister comfort each other while extended family, friends, state and local leaders including Governor Rell pay their respects to a local hero who made the ultimate sacrifice. "It speaks volumes about him and the way he was raised." Scott Gance knew Madaras on the soccer field -- he was a player, coach and referee. "Nick was always out there to help the kids. He was just great with them, they responded well when he refereed, he would explain to them so they'd learn." The church was packed; seats and speakers were set up outside for the overflow. Some who attended didn't even know the 19-year-old but are proud and thankful to the young soldier. Dana Nickel says, "We just wanted to come out and support him for having supported our country and what he did for our country was honorable, we felt we needed to come out and pay our respects." Nicole Kouvaris says, "Did not know him, but I grew up in Wilton and I just feel honored that he supported us and grew up here and went to the war for us. Just an amazing choice he made." "It's sad. We were at the wake last night and just seeing him there and his family mourning him, but he went, and it's just - he chose to go knowing when he enlisted he knew he would go. It's just amazing because it must have been so scary," says Nickel. Once a little boy, Madaras grew up to be a soldier and a hometown hero. Madaras was buried with full military honors at Hill Side Cemetery in Wilton. His family was presented with the American Flag and several military medals including the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Copyright 2006, WTNH-TV |
Bomb Claims 'Son Of Wilton'
http://www.courant.com/news/custom/newsat3/hc-ctwar-casualty-nmadaras,0,7565907.story
Pfc. Nicholas A Madaras Bomb Claims `Son Of Wilton' By DAVID FUNKHOUSER Courant Staff Writer September 6 2006 WILTON -- Army Pfc. Nicholas A. Madaras of Wilton, a soldier with the 4th Infantry Division, was killed by a bomb while on foot patrol in Baqouba, Iraq, on Sept. 3, 2006. He was 19 years old. Nicholas A. Madaras had plans for college, but he thought a stint in the Army would be good for him. His hometown is mourning him now, remembering the young man as a leader on the soccer field, a sharp student and a caring person. Madaras, 19, a private first class, was on foot patrol with his 4th Infantry Division unit Sunday during a combat operation in the Iraqi town of Baqouba when a bomb exploded, fatally wounding him, according to the Defense Department. He is the third serviceman from Connecticut to have died in Iraq in a nine-day period. Madaras was scheduled to finish his tour in Iraq on Oct. 24, three days after his 20th birthday. "Everybody here is very deeply saddened," said Bob O'Donnell, associate principal at Wilton High School, from which Madaras graduated in 2005. "He was a good student, a great kid. It's a really tragic loss." Madaras was the son of William J. and Shalini Madaras of Wilton and the older brother of Marie, a senior at Wilton High, and Christopher, a fourth-grader. His father referred questions to a National Guard spokesman Tuesday. Lt. Col. John Whitford said the Guard notified the family of Madaras' death Sunday evening, but he had no other information. First Selectman William F. Brennan said he and his wife expressed their condolences to the Madaras family on Monday. Brennan said his wife is an acquaintance of Shalini Madaras. "This is a very sad day for Wilton," Brennan said. He ordered the town's flags flown at half-staff "in respect for a beloved son of Wilton." Gov. M. Jodi Rell on Tuesday ordered U.S. and state flags, already at half-staff to honor Marine Cpl. Jordan C. Pierson, 21, of Milford, to remain at half-staff for Madaras and Lance Cpl. Philip A. Johnson of Enfield. Johnson, 19, was killed Saturday by a roadside bomb. "This is a tremendously sad day for Connecticut," Rell said Tuesday in a statement. On Monday, friends and family attended a memorial for Pierson, a member of Plainville-based Charlie Company, part of the 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, who was killed Aug. 25 in Fallujah. He is to be buried today in Arlington National Cemetery. Guidance counselor Dann Pompa worked closely with Madaras the last two years he attended high school. Pompa recalled Madaras as a creative young man. "He was very genuine, a person who cared a lot about people, who related to both adults and peers," Pompa said. "He was very introspective. ... There was a lot of depth in him." Pompa said he received an e-mail from Madaras at the end of last year discussing his plans to attend college and pursue a career in nursing. Jim Lewicki, Wilton's head boys' soccer coach, said Madaras started for the team for three years under former head coach Jim Cook, and he worked as the team manager when he stayed on an extra year at Wilton High. Madaras "was a quiet but intense" soccer player, Lewicki said. "He was a warrior - he worked his ass off, and he led by example." He left for basic training soon after graduating, Lewicki said, and was recently home on leave. O'Donnell said the tight-knit school community was pulling together behind Madaras' sister and the rest of the family. He remembered Madaras as "a sharp young man who was very caring, who cared for his friends and family." Contact David K. Funkhouser at dfunkhouser@courant.com. An Advocate of Stamford report is included in this story. Copyright 2006, Hartford Courant
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Army Private From Wilton Killed In Iraq
http://www.courant.com/news/local/statewire/hc-06071351.apds.m0250.bc-ct--soldsep06,0,4140106.story
Army private from Wilton killed in Iraq Associated Press September 6 2006 HARTFORD, Conn. -- The war in Iraq has claimed a third Connecticut servicemen in just over a week. Pfc. Nicholas A. Madaras, 19, of Wilton, was killed Sunday when an explosive device blew up near his patrol. The Defense Department confirmed his death on Tuesday. Marine Lance Cpl. Philip A. Johnson, 19, of Enfield, also was killed Sunday and Marine Cpl. Jordan Pierson died Aug. 25. "This is a tremendously sad day for Connecticut," Gov. M. Jodi Rell said in a statement. "The past several days have been very sad ones for the people of our state." Rell ordered that U.S. and state flags remain at half staff to honor the men. Funeral arrangements for Madaras and Johnson are pending. Pierson will be buried Wednesday in Arlington National Cemetery. Madaras was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division based in Fort Carson, Colo. His patrol was in Baqubah, northwest of Baghdad, when the bomb exploded. Johnson was killed Sunday morning with one other Marine as his unit was traveling from Ramadi, family spokesman Ron Jackman said. Pierson, 21, was fatally shot during combat in Al Anbar province. William Madaras said Tuesday he honored and approved of his son's decision to join the Army. "He felt the Army was good for him. He never regretted for a minute enlisting in the Army," Madaras told The Advocate of Stamford. "I feel that at that point in his life, it was a very brave and strong decision to make. It was a good decision to make." A 2005 graduate of Wilton High School, Madaras was on the soccer team for four years and wrote for the school's literary magazine. The high school held a moment of silence on Tuesday to remember Madaras. "He was somebody with a lot of inner strength and desire who carried out his responsibilities at the high school quite well," Principal Robert O'Donnell said. "He was a very important member of the school community here." Guidance counselor, Dann Pompa, received an e-mail from Madaras last year while he was serving in Iraq and Madaras discussed going to college when he returned to the United States. "He was looking to maybe be a registered nurse," Pompa said. "That attests a lot to the kind of person he was." Pompa described Madaras as genuine, caring and considerate to those around him. He said Madaras decided to join the Army in his senior year. "If somebody was hobbling, he'd ask what happened," he said. "It's not just the words, it's the genuineness behind those words." "This is a very tight knit school community in general so our hearts certainly go out to the family," O'Donnell said. U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., whose district includes Wilton, expressed his condolences on behalf of the 4th Congressional District. "Nicholas left school, joined the Army and committed to serving our country," Shays said. "He has made the ultimate sacrifice." Copyright 2006 Associated Press
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