Farewell to a young hero
By DEANNA JAMISONArticle Photos
DENNIS "BUBBA" Channel Jr., a central Ohio boy with ties to the Ohio Valley, has been laid to rest with the full military honors usually reserved for service members and veterans.
The son of Dennis and Shawna (Fabry) Channel, formerly from Martins Ferry, and the grandson of Sandy and Butch Channel of Martins Ferry, and Clint and Karen Fabry of Belmont, the 12-year-old was fascinated with the Army and military life and dreamed of becoming an Army chaplain. As a tribute to him, he was given many honorary titles usually reserved for people within the military such as: member of the Army, Army recruiter on Feb. 15, 2007, a member of the 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) Ohio National Guard; the 78th Aviation Battalion on March 27, 2003 and an honorary chaplain of the Ohio National Guard on July 28, 2008.
Although he did not fight on a battlefield, he fought his own courageous battle with brain cancer since the age of five. It was a battle which he lost, peacefully, in the early morning hours of Dec. 19, with his parents by his side. The boy was buried in his uniform and beret, in a casket painted with tanks and helicopters. Nearby the casket sat a pair of combat boots. In the casket was placed a picture of an American flag, signed by his classmates at Millersport Elementary School. As a sergeant on one knee presented the flag to his grieving mother, seven soldiers from the Ohio Army National Guard raised their rifles and fired three rounds. A lone bugler sounded taps that echoed throughout the cemetery as the flags of lost veterans that have gone before him blew in the wind.
"There have only been two civilians in the history of the United States to be buried with full military honors. One being Dennis and the other Bob Hope." said his father. "This is usually an honor saved for military, congressman, senators and other government personnel, but my son was given that honor. I am so proud that he touched so many lives in his few years of life. His legacy is not done, it will live on."
Channel will be remembered not only for his big brown eyes and his broad smile but most importantly, his big heart. Through it all, Dennis would never give up faith, said his father.
"Even when we knew he was in a lot of pain, he never complained - not about anything. Dennis had not been able to eat anything for months, they had stopped the treatments and the cancer was basically just taking over his body - you would never hear him complain," he said. "We truly feel that God gave Bubba his cancer as a gift - a gift to touch others."
Channel was forced to leave school in the second grade to undertake rigorous chemotherapy treatments, radiation and surgery. He didn't mind though, this would enable him to spend his days just hanging out with his mom.
"When he and Shawna would go to the store, Dennis would go around and talk to all of the stock boys, cleaning people, whoever would listen to him." said Channel. "He would never talk about himself, rather about others and how God is good to all and how lucky we all are for His goodness. We have been truly blessed, we could not have asked for a better son."
In September, a benefit car-cruise was organized by Butch and Lis Miller of Quality Motor Cars and is said to have been a great success. "The cruise-in was such a great success. The people of the Ohio Valley opened up their hearts and their pocket books for a child that some of them didn't even know. This truly has restored my faith in humanity," said Lis Miller. "We got the chance to attend the funeral for Bubba, it was unbelievable. The procession was so long that you could not see from beginning to end. Passer-bys actually pulled over and stopped traffic for the procession. You would have thought it was a funeral for a dignitary. That just shows how many people he impacted."
The family is accepting expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial contributions to help cover some the costs incurred for his months of treatments. Contributions can be made to the Dennis Channel Fund c/o Commodore Bank, 12101 Lancaster Rd. NE, Millersport, Ohio 43046.
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JewelsforObama
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01-12-09 2:30 AM
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Please remember the veterans who are fighting and have fought for our freedom.
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JewelsforObama
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01-12-09 2:28 AM
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A military funeral honors ceremony shall be provided to eligible beneficiaries, upon request. Commanders at all levels must support paying a final tribute on behalf of a grateful Nation to comrades in arms, and must respond expeditiously and sensitively to requests for military funeral support. Rendering military funeral honors reflects the high regard and respect accorded to Military Service and demonstrates military professionalism to the Nation and the world. The ceremonial paying of respect and the final demonstration of the country’s gratitude to those who, in times of war and peace, have faithfully defended our Nation.
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JewelsforObama
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01-12-09 2:26 AM
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Who is eligible for Military Funeral Honors? Military members on active duty or in the Selected Reserve. - Former military members who served on active duty and departed under conditions other than dishonorable. - Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service in the Selected Reserve and departed under conditions other than dishonorable. - Former military members discharged from the Selected Reserve due to a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty. A military funeral honors ceremony shall be provided to eligible beneficiaries, upon request. Commanders at all levels must support paying a final tribute on behalf of a grateful Nation to comrades in arms, and must respond expeditiously and sensitively to requests for military funeral support. Rendering military funeral honors reflects the high regard and respect accorded to Military Service and demonstrates military professionalism to the Nation and the wo
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kfabry
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01-11-09 5:01 PM
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I am Dennis Channel's grandmother. What a nice surprise to see this article. He was a wonderful boy who reached out and touched so many people. You can read more about him on his website: ****caringbridge****/visit/dennischannel Thank you for a wonderful article for a GREAT boy Karen Fabry
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BugsMom
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01-10-09 8:32 PM
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Sounds like an awesome farewell to an awesome little soldier. I did not know this boy personally but knew of several people who knew him and cherished him. He sounds like a true hero. Sorry for your loss.
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