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Lawrence Mourns Marine Killed In Kabul

Colasa Pichardo, center, blows a kiss toward the casket of her daughter, Sgt. Johanny Rosario, a U.S. Marine who was among 13 service members killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan, during a public wake in her hometown of Lawrence on Tuesday. (David Goldman/AP)
Colasa Pichardo, center, blows a kiss toward the casket of her daughter, Sgt. Johanny Rosario, a U.S. Marine who was among 13 service members killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan, during a public wake in her hometown of Lawrence on Tuesday. (David Goldman/AP)

The flag-draped casket of a Marine from Massachusetts killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan last month was carried by her fellow Marines into a stadium on Tuesday morning while hundreds of people lined up outside for a chance to pay their respects.

Marine Sgt. Johanny Rosario, 25, was among 13 U.S. service members who died in the Aug. 26 bombing at the Kabul airport, where people were being evacuated amid the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. She was screening women and children.

A dozen other U.S. service members and 169 Afghans were killed.

Law enforcement members salute the casket of Sgt. Johanny Rosario. (David Goldman/AP)
Law enforcement members salute the casket of Sgt. Johanny Rosario. (David Goldman/AP)

Her family watched solemnly as the casket entered Veterans Memorial Stadium in her hometown of Lawrence on Tuesday, near pictures of the other 12 service members killed.

Rosario served with the Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade.

The casket of Sgt. Johanny Rosario is carried into Veterans Memorial Stadium for a public wake in her hometown of Lawrence. (David Goldman/AP)
The casket of Sgt. Johanny Rosario is carried into Veterans Memorial Stadium for a public wake in her hometown of Lawrence. (David Goldman/AP)

A private funeral Mass presided over by Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley was held Monday. After Tuesday's wake, she will be buried at Bellevue Cemetery in a section reserved for veterans.

“I am proud of her service, proud of what she was doing to protect women and children, especially in Afghanistan," U.S. Sen. Edward Markey said Tuesday. “That's who she was. She was the embodiment of everything that Lawrence and this community stands for."

Mourners pay their respects to Sgt. Johanny Rosario. (David Goldman/AP)
Mourners pay their respects to Sgt. Johanny Rosario. (David Goldman/AP)

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