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Community Corner

Hike Through Dacula Honors Local Soldier

Troy Yocum's journey across America makes a stop in Dacula in honor of a local fallen hero Brett Browder.

A little over a year ago, Iraq war veteran Troy Yocum embarked upon a journey in honor of our fallen military heroes as part of an attempt to assist military families in need. The journey is a 7,000-mile hike across America that Yocum plans to complete while playing a drum. He is hoping to raise $5 million during his trek. Troy’s wife Mareike and dog Emmie have been accompanying him on his epic expedition which averages 20 miles per day.

Having already completed the western portion of the 16 month-long journey, Yocum is now heading up the east coast. One of his most recent stops was in Dacula in honor of fallen hero Corporal Brett Browder, who died in 2008 at the age of 22. 

Brett Browder’s mother Melinda Browder said Yocum's visit meant a lot to her.

“When you have a child die, it's out of order. They are supposed to bury you, you're not supposed to bury your children.” she said. 
 
While Yocum’s primary goal is to help military families in financial need, he also wants to make sure the sacrifices these families have made are remembered -- a goal shared by Browder.

“I don't want Brett to be forgotten," she said. "When people do things like this it keeps him alive to me and in other people's minds that he fought for our country."
 
Serving our country is something the Browder family takes seriously. Cpl. Browder served in Iraq before his death and his brother has just been deployed to Libya. Recent events such as the death of Osama Bin Laden helps Browder find purpose in her son’s sacrifice. 

“Brett joined the Marines and wanted to fight terrorists,” she said. “Bin Laden's death is sort of the closing of a chapter, my son didn't die in vain. We finally got this guy that caused all this trouble to America.”

All the funds raised by Yocum are handled through The Wish Upon a Hero Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity that is supporting him as he hikes across America. To learn more about Troy Yocum, to get updates on his journey, or to donate to his cause, visit www.drumhike.com

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