A tearful tribute to Crystal Lake soldier killed in Afghanistan

Mourners gathered along Lloyd Street in Cary Wednesday evening to remember the life of Spc. Jason McLeod, who died Monday in Afghanistan after his unit was attacked with mortar fire.

McLeod, of Crystal Lake, has been posthumously promoted to sergeant.

The tribute unofficially began as friends and family, many of whom had parked at a nearby store due to limited space on the road, marched to Lloyd Street, led by a mourner bearing a large American flag and escorted by a Cary police cruiser.

There, a group of bagpipers played "Amazing Grace" while around three dozen people stood in front of the flag-draped home of Julie Ghannam, the mother of McLeod's wife, Aimee Ghannam. A montage of family pictures, flowers and candles, as well as McLeod's medals, were arranged in the picture window.

The crowd, enduring rain and cold, stood silently for a few minutes after the solemn tribute. Then, Aimee Ghannam spoke of her husband and of their 15-month-old girl, Jocelyn.

"I just don't know what we're going to do without him," she said through tears.

"We're here for you" a voice from the crowd replied amidst hushed agreement.

Friends say McLeod was deployed to Afghanistan in May and was due to come home on leave in less than a month. They say he was a mechanic who worked on Humvees.

The 2006 graduate of Crystal Lake Central High School also served in Iraq in 2007 for about a year.

Dionna Nino, a school friend, remembered McLeod as an "amazing person" and the first friend she made in junior high school.

"He had a heart of gold and personality and smile to light up a whole room and I will never forget that," Nino wrote in an e-mail Wednesday. "He is a hero to all..."

Jessica Reidel-Strohl, who served in the same company as McLeod in Afghanistan, said McLeod was a soldier who was willing to lend a hand whenever someone needed help.

"He was always there when we needed something, and didn't quit until the job was done," Reidel-Strohl, of Montgomery, Texas, wrote in a message. "He will always be a part of us, watching over us."

While in the Army, McLeod received numerous awards, including the Army Commendation Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

He's survived by his wife, daughter, parents and two siblings.

He was assigned to the 704th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

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