Eastham Bridge to be Named After Fallen Hero

EASTHAM – The first soldier from Cape Cod to be killed in combat after September 11, 2001 will be honored this weekend with a bridge naming ceremony in Eastham.

Sgt. Mark Vecchione was killed in Iraq in 2006 after his Army tank was hit by an IED.

The Bridge Street Bridge will be named after the Eastham native at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Eastham Selectmen voted to name the bridge in his honor after the town was petitioned by Bridges for the Fallen.

Rob Mador with Bridges for the Fallen said they wanted to make sure Vecchione was honored.

“I think a bridge is very fitting way for people to have a place to go to and remember Mark and his sacrifice,” Mador said.

Mador said bridge ceremonies can be a galvanizing event for the community and, more importantly, for the family of the fallen.

“Most often these bridge ceremonies that we do are the first opportunity for a family to celebrate the life of their fallen loved one as opposed to grieving,” he said. “So it’s a big step in the healing process. The bridge is really metaphorical where this is really an important step to get over trouble waters so to speak.”

Mador said the ceremonies also mean a lot to other gold star families to make sure these soldiers are recognized, along with the soldier’s comrades.

Bridges for the Fallen petitioned the board of selectmen, town manager and the town because this particular bridge was town owned, which can be an easier process than getting a state bridge named.

Mador said there is no obstacle that Bridges for the Fallen will try to avoid.

“When a gold star family comes to Bridges for the Fallen and says ‘we want a bridge’ we tell them that we are going to get the bridge,” he said.

By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter