LCpl. Brett Wightman

Lance Corporal Brett Wightman was born in 1983 in Sabina, Ohio. As a dedicated athlete and teammate, Wightman graduated in 2002 with a mission to help others. Driven by this passion, Wightman enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 2003.

Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve in Columbus, Ohio, Wightman deployed to Iraq in 2005. In August of the same year, the Sabina-native was one of 14 killed in a roadside bombing in northern Iraq. During combat operations in the city of Haditha, an improvised explosive device struck the unit’s amphibious assault vehicle, seriously wounding one and killing everyone else on board. The assault marked one of the deadliest attacks on American troops since the U.S.’s invasion two years prior.

Wightman’s legacy for service lives on through the Brett Wightman Foundation, an organization established to remember and celebrate the young Marine. Each year, family and friends gather for car shows, concerts, and 5k runs to honor their fallen hero. You can learn more about Brett Wightman and the foundation at www.brettwightmanmemorial.com.