BY SHERI McWHIRTER
CHEBOYGAN -- U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Blaskowski is home.
More than 2,000 people crammed inside the Cheboygan Area High School gymnasium Thursday to say goodbye to Blaskowski, 27, remembered as a hometown hero.
He was shot and killed Sept. 23 when his unit was attacked while serving his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.
"I wish there were some magic words to say, but I cannot find them," said the Rev. Paul Megge, who officiated at the funeral Mass.
A hush fell across the standing-room-only gymnasium when Blaskowski's family entered, walked past the flag-draped casket and took their seats. Tissues were pulled from pockets, teardrops rolled down cheeks and someone in the crowd whispered "too young."
Andrea Blaskowski, his aunt, spoke at the funeral about how close he was with his younger brother, Stanley, and his lifelong best friend, Gabe Jones, with whom he joined the military in 1997.
"Everyone who met Matt was better because of it. He led by example and was never a person to speak poorly of another," she said. "Ultimately, Matt served our country with all that he had in him. He was an inspiration to all who crossed his path."
Blaskowski's Italian wife, Daniela Cadore, read a poem about laughter to honor her husband and then said, "So, you keep laughing, baby. I love you." They were married last summer.
U.S. Army Maj. Dirk Ringgenberg of Iowa, Blaskowski's company commander during his first tour of duty, spoke about his heroism when he led his squad into a fierce firefight in 2005.
"He charged up the hill, leading his men. They began to take fire and that fire did not stop for five hours," Ringgenberg said.
That's when Blaskowski was shot in the leg, yet still pulled another soldier to safety and held the line for another hour before he was evacuated.
"Conspicuous gallantry was something Matt possessed," Ringgenberg said.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Sean Samaroo of Oklahoma came to Cheboygan from Blaskowski's unit in Afghanistan to attend the funeral services.
"I wouldn't have missed this for the world. I'm glad I could say goodbye. I can't wait to go back and tell my fellow soldiers how wonderfully supportive this town is," Samaroo said, his eyes welling. "It was a shock. He was such a good soldier."
Many childhood friends attended the services, including U.S. Army Pvt. Christopher Parsons of Cheboygan, who is awaiting deployment to Iraq.
"I'm really sad and I don't know what to expect. It's more of a shock than anything," he said.
Casey Crawford, of Grand Rapids, drove to the funeral to say goodbye to a former classmate she dated in high school.
"It's a very sad thing. He was loved by a lot of people. He was an amazing person with an amazing heart," Crawford said. "It's very hard for a lot of people."
Her mother, Terri Williams of Gaylord, said the huge crowd was a testament to Matt and showed how well he was loved by family, friends and the community. She's not even sure if everyone at the funeral personally knew him.
"I think it says a lot about Matt. This war hit home," Williams said from a spot in the gymnasium bleachers.
She looked down at a photo of Blaskowski in the funeral program and smiled.
"That's what I'll remember most: that cheesy smile and those big ears," she said.
