A family's fight to have the the military status of their lost loved one changed, has finally paid off.
The Wedel family celebrated the life of U.S. Army Soldier Specialist Gregory Morales on July 11 in Sapulpa.
Morales went missing from his army base in Fort Hood, his remains were found ten months later in a shallow grave.
Family members, friends and fellow veterans gathered at a candlelight vigil to celebrate Morales.
Andrew Wedel, Morales' brother, tells us, "he was always the one I really looked up to and now that’s not there anymore and it hurts.”
Gregory Morales served in the U.S. Army for six years.
Kim Wedel, Morales' mother, says, "he was always very proud to serve in the military, that was always his dream.”
Texas investigators do not know when or how Morales died, so the army had his status as absent without leave (AWOL).
Due to that status, Morales' mother was not able to bury him with military honors.
“He deserves the proper respects from everybody , when you go and give six years of your life to your country, I think you deserve that", Nick Wedel says.
The status that was placed on Morales makes his death even harder on the family.
“Until he has justice and they lay him to rest with military honors" Nick Wedel says, "I’m going to continue to fight for it, I will every single day”.
The family's fight to have Morales' military status changed has paid off. According to Kim Wedel, Colonel Patrick Disney of Fort Hood told her, Morales will be reinstated to active duty from AWOL, "based on information from Killeen Police Department."
Details of the petitions the family has filed are below:
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