REESE, Mich. — Rain didn’t stop the family of Staff Sgt. Eugene Henry-Eli Alex from honoring his memory this week, as they cleaned the stretch of M-81 highway dedicated in his name. His widow and daughter worked side by side, soaked but smiling, driven by a mission bigger than themselves.
Alex, a U.S. Army soldier who was killed during Operation Iraqi Freedom, was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart for his bravery. He left behind a devoted wife and three children, all of whom carry his unmistakable features and enduring spirit.
“He gave everything,” said Christine Findlay Bean, a family friend. “And now, his family is still giving—time, heart, and effort—to make sure he’s not forgotten.”
A newly installed memorial brick at Reese Community Park serves as a permanent reminder of the man who gave his life for his country. But it’s not just the brick. It’s the small town. The community. The way people come together with muddy hands, wet shirts, and full hearts.
This Father’s Day, residents are being asked to remember Sergeant Alex and all who have sacrificed. His story is part of the reason behind the Fortress Golf Outing on June 19th in Frankenmuth. The event supports the Michigan Heroes Museum—the only museum in the country that honors veterans from a single state who have received one or more of the nation’s highest military honors or died in the line of duty.’
