As LCpl. Thomas Rivers Jr. patrolled Afghanistan’s Province, he knew God was with him. He felt protected by Psalm 91:1, which was tattooed on his back. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Faith guided Thomas from youth into manhood. In an essay he handed to his 9th grade teacher on November 12, 2003 he explained how he had been yearning to serve his country since age ten. “I think if I put my mind to it, and with God’s help, I could make it in the Marines,” Thomas wrote. “I believe that joining would be a good experience for me because it will teach me to rely on God to make it through.”
For Thomas, joining the Marine Corps would not be as simple as signing a piece of paper. Dyslexia made classroom work very difficult for him, and he also faced some early physical limitations that made it difficult to succeed in sports. He was a hero before he joined the Marines. He overcame so many obstacles to transform himself from a thin child to a ripped warrior. The desire to join the Marines gave Thomas extra motivation to hit the books, as well as the gym with renewed determination. He struggled in high school until one of the recruiters told him he needed a high school diploma to enlist. Low grades were never a problem after that. While basic training and deployments change almost everyone, Thomas stuck to his strong values.
He returned from his first overseas tour in Iraq in February 2009. In March 2020, he was deployed to Afghanistan. Thomas, was now 22, already had a combat tour under his belt and prepared for another deployment with the same focus, faith and strength that guided him through Iraq. Thomas never was a conformist; he always knew he was a warrior. During a six-week period in Afghanistan, Thomas started reading the Bible with one of his best friends, LCpl. Matthew Proctor.
On Wednesday April 28, 2010 Thomas prepared for a mission as a Team Leader. He and Matthew prayed before leaving together on patrol. During that patrol, Thomas volunteered to take a position for another Marine. As Thomas replaced the young Marine, he activated an IED. Three of his friends, including Matthew, kneeled down beside him, Matthew held his hand and they recited the Bible verse tattooed on Thomas’ back. Thomas was with three people who loved him when he died. Lance Cpl. Thomas Rivers Jr. stood for overcoming obstacles, finding common ground, and offering love, even amid uncertainty and violence.
To truly honor his sacrifice, we can learn from how he lived and how he died.
*All photos, video content, and information above were lovingly provided by the Rivers Family*
