CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Gina Ellis-Williams, Lance Cpl. Blake Magaoay's mother, was comforted yesterday by Kealii Williams, Magaoay's stepbrother, after she received the flag from Magaoay's casket at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Family recalls bravery
of their warrior

Tony Magaoay periodically paused and exhaled as he struggled to maintain his composure while he spoke of his son, Lance Cpl. Blake Magaoay, who was recently killed in Fallujah, Iraq.

Blake Magaoay: He was a 2002 Pearl City graduate.

"When he first told me he was going to join the Marines, I asked him why," said Magaoay during his burial service. "He said, 'That's what I want to do, Dad.' But I found out later why he joined. It was because he wanted to show his parents he was a man, and to make his parents proud," he said, his voice quavering.

"Blake, you made me and your mother proud," said Magaoay, pulling black sunglasses down from the top of his head to cover his tear-filled eyes.

More than 100 friends and loved ones attended the burial service for Magaoay at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl yesterday.

Magaoay, a 2002 alumnus of Pearl City High School, was killed on Nov. 29 during a gunbattle. It was his second tour in Iraq, and he was expected to return in February.

He was assigned to the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force from Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Magaoay, 20, is expected to be posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.

Following a 21-gun salute, Magaoay's parents were each presented with a folded American flag. Magaoay's mother, Gina Ellis-Williams, held it close to her as she bowed her head and wept.

After loved ones and friends placed flowers on her son's casket, his mother walked around the casket holding an eagle feather and burning sweet grass, saying, "This is my warrior."

The gifts were from Magaoay's friend, Lance Cpl. Joaquin McCurty, an American Indian.

"I wanted to give it to Blake, but I felt that his mother should have it, having to endure what few mothers have to endure," said McCurty, 23, who is from the Mescalaro Apache Reservation in New Mexico. "I told her to use it whenever she's feeling down."

McCurty said the eagle feather symbolizes high honor, similar to receiving a medal of honor. "It's very sacred, very holy," he said.

"He had a real fiery spirit about him," said McCurty. "I was the one he really opened up to, and I can open up to him because we had so many similarities."

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM A Marine honor guard carried the casket of Lance Cpl. Blake Magaoay to a burial service yesterday at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl. Magaoay, a 2002 alumnus of Pearl City High School, was killed Nov. 29 during a gunbattle in Fallujah, Iraq.

In mid-November, McCurty returned to Hawaii from Iraq after he suffered shrapnel wounds. He recalled going through a whirlwind of depression, sadness and anger when informed that Magaoay was killed.

"It all kind of hit me at once," said McCurty, who was dealing with combat stress.

"It just hit me like shrapnel. It hit me that hard, emotionally, just as bad as I was physically hurt. I didn't know how to take it," he said.

After the service, Magaoay's father said: "Blake was so young and gung-ho when he got into the service. He was willing to stick it out.

"I don't want to see any men go into this with any false hope," he said. "It's going to be a tough life."

Others who attended the service described Magaoay as a good and caring man. "He made sure his friends and family were taken care of," said friend Craig Caulk.

Magaoay's favorite movie was "Troy" where the legendary warrior Achilles, played by Brad Pitt, leads the Greeks to victory over the Trojan army.

"He looked up to him," said Travis Bantonilla. "He wanted to think of Achilles as being him."

Friends further described Magaoay as "a ladies' man" who enjoyed going to the beach. They also described the shock of hearing that he had died.

"You just want to love your friends more," said Keone Loo, 24, of Ewa Beach. "You never know whether it could be the last time you're going to see them."