Thief steals fallen soldier’s belongings from Gold Star mother

Patti Ward is still mourning the loss of her son, Sgt. Joshua Ward, six years after his death. Grief is now turning into anger as she makes a plea to a thief to return her late son’s belongings.

Sgt. Ward was killed in Iraq by a suicide bomber in 2009. His body was returned home to Matagorda, Texas, along with his two duffel bags.

“You want a hug and you want to hear his voice, but you can’t get it,” said Ward.

However, the two duffel bags marked ‘Sgt. Joshua Ward’ were gone when she returned home. Ward says that the crook is someone she knows and thought she could trust.

“It was his. He touched them; it was his,” said Ward. “Eveerything that’s his, it’s all I have.”

According to KHOU News, Ward said she is very angry and is ‘burning inside.’ She also describes the person that she believes took the bags as “scum.”

The irreplaceable items are reminders of her son’s contribution to the service. They included trinkets, shirts and a helmet.

The grieving military mom wants the belongings back. She holds on to every memory that she has of her son. Her front porch is run down, but she refuses to get it fixed because her son was the one to build it for her.

“I need them back,” she said. “I don’t care if it’s just a t-shirt –it has his smell on it. I need it.”

In addition to her son’s bags, the thief made off with cash and $1,800 worth of tires.

According to Rare, not long after 9/11, Joshua Ward decided to enlist in the army to serve his country. He had been deployed twice before he left for what would be his last tour.

Matagorda County Sherriff’s office is now investigating the incident and hopes to find Ward’s son’s belongings. They are asking if anyone has any information on the crime to please contact them at 979-245-5526.