Soldier receives hearty welcome home

From the Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008 edition of the Northwest Herald:

Soldier receives hearty welcome home
By DIANA SROKA - dsroka@nwherald.com

CRYSTAL LAKE – Army Pvt. Jeremy Holderness thought he surprised his family and friends when he came home from Iraq a day early last week. But after receiving a hero's welcome Saturday, he turned out to be the one who was most surprised.

More than 60 motorcyclists from Warriors' Watch Riders, Patriot Guard Riders and American Legion Post #911 in Wauconda greeted Holderness at his Crystal Lake home, where friends and family had gathered to celebrate his 18-day return.

"I knew something was coming, but I had no idea," said Holderness, 19. "It feels great."

Holderness was shocked as he watched the motorcyclists drive in displaying large American flags and cheering for him. They were joined by Crystal Lake firemen and policemen who blared the sirens on the trucks and squad cars as they approached his neighborhood.

Holderness is a private 2nd-class with the Army, who has been stationed in Baghdad for the past eight months as a logistics coordinator. He will be home until Nov. 4, and then return to Baghdad until July 2009.

He also is a 2007 Crystal Lake Central High School graduate.

To keep the big welcome a secret, his mother organized a small get-together at their home.

"I pretended we were having a nice, big dinner with all his friends," Carole Holderness said.

As the motorcyclists parked their bikes, he gave out hugs and they continued applauding him.

"I was waiting for this moment as soon as I got [to Iraq]," he said. "It's stuff like this that gets us by, over there."