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Anchorage Marine remembered

by Leyla Santiago
Saturday, October 18, 2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Family, friends, even complete strangers gathered on Saturday to remember Marine Cpl. Jason Karella Saturday.

They took a look back -- not on Karella's death, but rather his life and purpose.

"He was not just a Marine, but in heart he was a brother," said Salvador Lara, who served with Karella in Iraq. "He was a friend."

A private memorial was held earlier in the day; immediately after a public memorial took place at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9981. Karella was killed earlier this month in Afghanistan.

People here know all too well the sacrifices that come with service, and they came to pay respects to a fallen Marine.

In a family where service for country became tradition, Karella followed suit.

As a Bartlett High School junior, Karella decided to attend Alaska Military Youth Academy for his senior year.

"When he was 15 years old, I came home from work and there was a Marine recruiter on my couch that he brought home, and I kicked him out," Karella's mother, Anne Kitchens said. "Jason turned 16, there was another Marine recruiter on my couch that he brought home, a different one, and I kicked him out.

"And when he turned 17, I finally gave up because there was another Marine recruiter sitting on my couch."

His decision to serve as a Marine brought deployments -- first to Iraq.

"As a leader he always took charge," Lara said. "He always pushed Marines to go out there and not be afraid."

The next deployment took Karella to Afghanistan, where he died while supporting combat missions just two weeks before he was supposed to come home, leaving behind parents, siblings, a fiance and many friends.

The grief will take time to overcome.

"One baby, baby step at a time," Kitchens said. "Maybe a couple back, but there will be a lot more forward."

And on this day they take one step forward -- comforting each other, remembering the smile that rarely escaped photos, and keeping his memory alive.

"Such a special place in ... all our hearts," stepfather Bill Anklewich said. "A wonderful boy, wonderful man. Great man."

A man paying the ultimate price for what he believed. Karella would have turned 21 this month.

His father and mother both say they are overwhelmed by the support shown from the community.

Karella is expected to have another service when the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, the men and women he served with, come back to 29 Palms in California in a few weeks.

Contact Leyla Santiago at lsantiago@ktuu.com