Tinley Park High School Welcomes Home Marine & Alum

Flag line formed in front of Ramon's in Mokena, Ill.

Tinley Park High School staff, The Warrior Watch Riders, and community members welcomed home 2018 alum and Marine, Josh Urbanski from boot camp on Sunday, October 21 with flag lines, police escorts, hugs, and more!

Family, friends, staff members, and community members met in front of Ramon's Leatherworks in Mokena, Ill. and prepared to greet Urbanski with a flag line. Urbanski, who returned from boot camp on Friday, October 19, had no idea and thought he was going to lunch with his family. Little did he know he was in for a day full of surprises.

Organized by Tinley Park High School staff member, Marie Prutsman, Urbanski was embraced with handshakes and hugs upon his arrival.

Urbanski reuniting with Tinley Park High School staff member, Marie Prutsman

Soon after, Urbanski was escorted by a fire truck, police cars, motorcycles, and vehicles to the Tinley Park American Legion where another flag line awaited him. Urbanski was then presented with mission beads.

The surprise for Urbanski was prompted by a letter sent to his high school physical education teacher, Cassie Gaines. Gaines received a letter from Urbanski in September while he was still in boot camp. The letter thanked Gaines for preparing him for boot camp and stated she was an inspiration.

When Tinley Park reached out to Urbanski's father to let him know how impressed and appreciative they were for the letter and Josh, Mr. Urbanski responded, “I am so impressed that even when he is getting his butt kicked every single day, he remembers the people who were a great influence on him. He was just promoted to Squad Leader and will graduate on October 19th. Please tell everyone to write him. He keeps begging everyone to do so since they get so bored at night with no access to electronics. It is also a sense of pride when they hear their name announced for the mail call."

Urbanski embracing his high school physical education teacher, Cassie Gaines

Tinley Park High School staff collected notes for Urbanski wishing him well and mailed them to his boot camp. Additional letters were also shared with him at the surprise.

Before Urbanski is deployed, he plans to teach a boot camp styled physical education class for students at Tinley Park High School with Gaines on Monday, October 29.

Best of luck to Josh Urbanski from Tinley Park High School and Bremen High School District 228. We thank him for his service and wish him great success in his future.