“It’s a miracle,” Raquel Hamm later said. “It’s almost unbelievable. We had given up hope.”@RTW_Foundation https://t.co/TH4WclOWfg
— Meaghan Mobbs (@mobbs_mentality) December 18, 2024
Despite the family’s acceptance that he might never be found, the Weatherman Foundation pressed on. Their determination paid off when a tip led investigators to a morgue in Kyiv.
Hamm’s body was identified through DNA testing and his American flag tattoos.
In October, the foundation made the call his mother, Raquel Hamm, had both dreaded and prayed for: her son had been found.
“It’s a miracle,” she said. “We had given up hope.”
The Journey Home
The process of bringing Hamm home was an odyssey in itself. His remains traveled from Ukraine to Moldova, Istanbul, and finally to Dallas.
At DFW International Airport, Hamm’s family gathered near the hearse that would carry him to a funeral home in Grapevine. As his coffin emerged, draped in the flag he so deeply honored, his mother stepped forward, tears streaming down her face. Her son, who had given everything to help a faraway people fight for their freedom, was home.
A Legacy of Sacrifice
Hamm’s story is one of many that highlight the global impact of the war in Ukraine. Since Russia’s invasion in 2022, thousands of foreign nationals, including Americans, have joined Ukrainian forces. They are drawn by a shared belief in freedom and democracy, willing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukrainians in their fight for survival.
Organizations like the R.T. Weatherman Foundation serve as a lifeline for the families of those who pay the ultimate price. The foundation not only works to recover and repatriate fallen soldiers but also supports grieving families by piecing together their loved ones’ final moments and helping navigate complex international processes. It has repatriated the remains of nine soldiers so far, seven of whom were Americans.
In 2022, William Cancel gave his life defending Ukraine. 🇺🇸🇺🇦
A Marine, a husband, and a father to a little boy, he made the ultimate sacrifice for a country that wasn’t his by birth but became his by choice.This November, in the heart of Kyiv, we gathered to honor him.… pic.twitter.com/FHfQrPbIXJ
— R. T. Weatherman Foundation (@RTW_Foundation) December 16, 2024
For Raquel Hamm, the pain of loss is tempered by the knowledge that her son died fighting for his beliefs. She now treasures the few belongings returned with his body—his winter coat, socks, and sleeping bag.
In the coming years, she plans to turn some of those items into keepsakes, such as teddy bears for her future grandchildren, so they will always carry a piece of their uncle’s legacy.
As Americans prepare to celebrate the holidays, Hamm’s story reminds us of the incredible sacrifices made by those who believe in something greater than themselves.
Cedric “Charlie” Hamm lived as a protector, not only for his family and community but for people thousands of miles away. His return home is a bittersweet end to a chapter of service and sacrifice, but his memory will endure as an inspiration to all who value freedom and democracy.
This essay is based on a report from The Dallas Morning News
COMMENTS