While I was celebrating with family and friends this past week at my daughters wedding, I missed a very important headline. Someone I knew and respect very much passed away.

Jonathan Dreymann, the Midwest Coordinator and founding member of the Illinois Chapter of the Warriors' Watch Riders, was a hero to many, especially to Gold Star Families. (A Gold-Star Family are families that have lost a loved one in combat.) He was a hero to me. Witnesses say he drifted across the lanes of the highway, with his eyes closed as he was heading out on the first leg of his 10-vacation. Jon drove off the highway and landed in the creek bed. Jon did not drink, and no other vehicles were involved

Jon and the Warriors Watch Riders provided motorcycle escorts and protection at the funerals of Fallen Heroes, as well as escorting returning and deployed Troops.

Jon D treated these Troops like "rock stars" for a few hours, and in many cases, giving these returning heroes a memory they will never forget, unlike the welcome many Vietnam Veterans got when they returned home from war.

I had the honor of working with Jon D this past year on three occasions. When a group of protesters began using my late-cousin's, Ryan J. Cantafio, USMC, name along with other Fallen Hero names of friends of mine, I went to a demonstration with Jon D, Joe Alger and other Warrior Watch Riders, and DEMANDED they take Ryan and my friends son's names down from their displays. The names and the entire display was removed the next morning, weeks before it was supposed to be taken down.

Jon was there at Oak Park & River Forest High School in May 2009, when I had the honor of performing with the US Marine Corps Drum and Bugle Marching Band, and the USMC Silent Drill Platoon.

I had a lot of fun with Jon, Joe and the Warrior Watch Riders gang at the Area Football Championship, where I performed before the game, and the cheerleaders of the World Champion Slaughter rode out on the field on the back of the Warrior Watch Riders motorcycles. A great memory for me was when Joe Alger, Jon D and some of the Riders sang background vocals on "California Dreamin'" with me before the game.

Jon served in the US Army in the 1980's and his Joshua is currently serving in the US Air Force. Jon compared the volunteer work that the Warrior Watch Riders do, to witnessing the birth of a child. Jon's friend and fellow rider John Kopeck was quoted in the Chicago Sun-Times, saying, "... Jon would say, I know it's 10 o'clock at night, but I think we should get up at dawn and jump on our motorcycles to drive 200 miles in the freezing rain to honor someone we've never met, and he'd get 50-people to do it with him."

I am still in shock, looking at photos of him and us together this past year. I think of all the Troops he escorted to and from their homes and all the Troops he honor on their final day before they were laid to rest; and again I'm smiling; knowing that Jon Dreymann has been embraced by all those who have paid the ultimate price whose funeral he guarded and protected; they met him at the Gates of Heaven, and escorted HIM into Paradise.

Our prayers go out to Yvette, Jessica and Joshua.