Afghan War veteran from Minnesota honors a fallen comrade with special tribute in Blaine

Veterans Memorial Park in Blaine is a spot of honor and remembrance.

“Once you’ve been shot at and relied on one another in probably the most highest of stakes possible, you simply change into fairly shut,” says Eric Bakken, a U.S. Military veteran who served two excursions in Afghanistan.

In a single part of the park is a brand new memorial bench, devoted on Saturday.

It’s positioned right here, in honor of U.S. Military Specialist Eric Finniginam, who was killed in motion on Might 1, 2010.

Bakken says having the 26-year-old as a buddy and comrade in arms “modified every thing.”

He provides ensuring the bench got here to be was a mission of honor.

Throughout a dedication ceremony, Bakken advised Finniginam’s household — and dozens of assembled navy veterans — about his buddy’s dying.

“I’ve by no means felt ache like that ever in my life,” he stated. “One of many hardest issues I’ve ever needed to do in my complete life was to name my mom and inform her that Finn was killed.”

Bakken says Finniginam — or ‘Finn’ to troopers in his unit — was born and raised in Micronesia, within the South Pacific, earlier than he joined the military.  

Amid the preventing, the 2 Erics — from reverse sides of the globe — turned finest pals.

“We stood aspect by aspect, in firefights, we knocked doorways down. I went proper, he went left,” Bakken remembers. “Firefights, huge missions, it was tremendous intense. And while you undergo all that stuff with one another, one after one other, that’s simply the place the true magic occurs. That bond is simply solidified for all times.”

Throughout leaves — he says he introduced Finniginam again to the states.

Simply weeks earlier than his dying, his buddy turned an American citizen.

Bakken says he was there when Finniginam was killed throughout a rocket propelled grenade assault.

“There’s numerous survivors guilt,” he explains. “There was lots of ache. I nonetheless have lots of ache, and I’ve stated it earlier than, I don’t precisely need it to go away as a result of that’s how I keep in mind him.”

Greater than a decade later, Bakken is honoring his buddy.

Dozens of veterans surrounded Finniginam’s household, who have been flown to Minnesota for the ceremony.

The gathering included a 21-gun salute, a taking part in of faucets — and a folded American flag given to his mom.

“I can’t specific sufficient the way it means for my household and I to be right here right now,” Maria Finniginam advised the group. “I’m past blessed with the legacy my son has left behind.”

Bakken says he organized a crowd-funding effort to boost $30,000 for the memorial bench.

He says his mission isn’t over — that he needs to honor different members of his unit who made the last word sacrifice.

His thought is to encompass the bench with bricks, etched with the names of the fallen — to allow them to be collectively once more.

Finniginam is laid to relaxation in Micronesia, on the island of Yap, the place he was born.

Bakken now has a legacy of his personal — he’s named his 7-year-old daughter ‘Finley’ in honor of his buddy.

Slowly, the load of his loss is easing, Bakken says — particularly with this remembrance.

“We gave one thing to his household and selfishly, I obtained one thing again, too,” he says. “Type of like a restored religion within the folks of Minnesota, and I get to provide them and be part of one thing so particular. I’m most likely going to get a bit peace again that’s been taken from me a very long time — and I’m actually grateful to get that peace again.”