Community honors fallen soldier Cade Wolfe, as his remains return home to Mankato
MANKATO, Minn. — Sgt. Cade Wolfe, 24, died when his Blackhawk helicopter crashed during a training mission overseas in November. Four fellow soldiers did not survive.
Wolfe's remains finally returned to his hometown of Mankato on Thursday. The community lined the streets of the Blue Earth County city to remember and honor one of their own.
After his body arrived at the Mankato Airport, a fallen hero procession began, first making its way to Eagle Lake Elementary School, where Wolfe attended as a little boy.
The students and teachers at that school lined the sidewalks as the motorcade slowly drove by the school. Dozens of squad cars led the way, as the kids fell silent and put their hands over their hearts.
"I even had one of my students count that there were 40 different law enforcement cars, so that really tells you what kind of impact he had on this community," said LeeAnn Johnson, a third grade teacher at Eagle Lake Elementary.
Johnson actually taught Wolfe when he went to Eagle Lake Elementary, along with Lori Haman, who was his second grade teacher at the time. They're both still teaching at the school today, and reflected back on their time knowing him as a student.
"[He was] nice to his classmates, got along, worked hard, good kid, good kid," said Haman.
"I remember him as a quiet little boy, with big brown eyes, dark hair and you know he just was an awesome kid," said Johnson.
Johnson said she knew he had something special back then.
"You knew he wanted to do and serve his country and he believed in that," said Johnson, and that drive he had to pursue his purpose in the military is something all these students can learn from.
"It's just such a hard thing to lose somebody so young and so special, somebody who could have done great things, and I always try to teach that to my third graders, that you can be anything you want to be," said Johnson.
Wolfe is survived by his wife, Danielle.
His family will hold a celebration of life Friday afternoon at the National Guard Armory in Mankato.
All flags have been ordered to fly at half staff on Friday.