LEOMINSTER, MASS. (WHDH) - As Leominster residents mourn the death of a local Marine, the man who helped train him recalled an eager student who was ready to serve and a Gold Star father described what his loss means to his family and community .
Captain Ross Reynolds, a Leominster native, was one of four Marines who died in a crash during a training flight in Norway last month. He was brought home Saturday in a procession that saw hundreds of residents lining the streets.
Retired Lt. Col. Brian Dennis helped train Reynolds, and eventually gave him his wings in 2020.
“I just remember how excited and happy he was to put on his wings that day,” Dennis recalled. “What I remember is an eagerness and an intense motivation and a desire to learn … he was funny, he was well loved, and he’ll be truly missed.”
State Rep. Steven Xiarhos lost his eldest son Nicholas in Afghanistan in 2009, and said Saturday’s ceremonies brought back painful memories.
“Today is just every family’s worst nightmare. And to see this young Marine come home in a flag-draped casket it’s just very difficult for all of us,” Xiarhos said.
But the outpouring of support helps, Xiarhos said.
“It means a lot. It means a lot, because we felt that we were alone, ‘How are we going to get through this?’, and then when you see the thousands of people it helps you get stronger, or as strong as you can. And it helps you realize that you’re not alone,” Xiarhos said.
(Copyright (c) 2025 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)