Hundred Lined Streets in Suffield to Honor Fallen Hero

Strangers and friends of U.S. Navy Electronics Technician 2nd Class Dustin Louis Doyon held American flags and waited for the somber procession to begin.

"It's sad. I can't - the tragedy of losing a child of that age and not having him enjoy the things that you and I have today. It's good to see the community of Suffield here," said family friend Will Morris.

Doyon, a Suffield native, died in August while serving aboard the USS John S. McCain after the destroyer collided with an oil tanker off the coast of Singapore. With the help of a police escort, the 26-year-old came home Friday afternoon.

"He was raised by wonderful parents. And what did he say? I'm not lost, I'm exploring. Yeah, that was him," recalled Dan Thelon and his wife Diane. The two are neighbors of the Doyon family and knew Dustin since he was a child.

"You hear this cliché. People say it all the time, but when Dustin walked into a room, he lit it up. He lit up the room with that smile," said Diane.

As the procession passed by, friends and strangers stood together quietly to show the Doyon Family that they're not alone.

"Our sorrow and pain is with them, and our prayers will be with them as they get through the next few days and that Dustin will be able to rest in peace," said Morris.

"We love them and we're with them and we're praying for them," said Agawam, Massachusetts, resident Helen Dion."

"We just wanted to come out and support Dustin and of course the family and just to say how proud we are of Dustin and how proud Dustin is of his country," said Diane.

On Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 10 a.m. a memorial service and Catholic mass will be held at Sacred Heart Church at 446 Mountain Road. Following the mass, the procession will travel with police to the cemetery.

A private military burial will be held after the mass at the West Suffield Cemetery. The burial is for family and friends only.

Doyon graduated from Cathedral High School in Springfield, Massachusetts in 2009. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on Feb 6, 2015.

"Dustin was an avid skateboarder, he enjoyed hiking and spending time outdoors, he loved to cook, but his true passion was running and diving, and hanging with his friends," his obituary reads.

Gov. Dan Malloy issued a directive to lower United States and state flags to half-staff in honor of Doyon following his death.

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