THORNTON, W.Va.- With Memorial Day right around the corner, residents of Thornton came together to dedicate a local bridge to a fallen hero.
Sgt. Major Timothy Bolyard began his service in 1994, where he was a six-time recipient of the Bronze Star, with two of the awards being for valor.
Sgt. Major Bolyard, also known as “Caveman,” by those closest to him, was on his eighth deployment overseas, when he was killed in action last September. Since then, friends and family have been looking for a way to honor their very own, hometown hero.
Those that knew Bolyard considered him a “true American hero.” Melissa Bolyard-Bragg, Sgt. Major Timothy’s sister remembers her brother as down to earth man who always had a smile on his face.
“It’s absolutely overwhelming, our family got thrown on a road we never dreamed that we never dreamed we would be walking and the outpouring this community has gave is just awesome. You couldn’t ask for better support, said Melissa Bolyard-Bragg.
If you’d like to visit the memorial, you can find the memorial on Route 50 on the Thornton bridge in Taylor County.
