Fallen Marine's Gifts Delivered to Afghan Girl

Those who knew Tom Boyle of Barrington would say he was a selfless man. He spent his life working in the military and police forces, working to protect and serve others. He was killed in June while working as a security contractor in Afghanistan.

Boyle was a Marine and a two-tour veteran of Vietnam who earned the Cross of Gallantry. Boyle was also in the Chicago Police Department for 30 years and when he retired, went on to work for a private detective agency and a security contractor overseas. He died at the age of 62.

The day his wife Pauline was informed of his death, she mailed him a doll and a stuffed animal he had requested for a young girl that had touched his heart in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The box was lost for three months. Just last week, it was miraculously found again and finally delivered to its intended recipient: six-year-old Tamanah.

When I was informed of this (that the box had been found) I asked Lt. Col. McKinley if it was still possible to honor Tom's last request and in true military fashion to honor a fallen brother,” Pauline Boyle said in an email to Patch. “He jumped to the task.”

It was a joyous occasion when the gifts were delivered to little Tamanah in Afghanistan on Oct. 27. Lt. Col. Matt McKinley wrote to Pauline explaining how Tom’s wish to deliver the items to her finally come true. 

“At long last, we were able to deliver the gifts that you had sent to Tom for the little girl named Tamanah,” the letter to Pauline Boyle read. “The timing was also very good, as she is celebrating Eid-al-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice. Appropriate on many levels. It is a time of celebration in Afghanistan and I can tell you that it was a great celebration at Provincial Reserve tonight in Tom's honor.”

Learning that Tom’s wish had been honored by his military colleagues was wonderful news to Pauline.

“This is a bittersweet ending to many dark days we have had - and this does indeed bring comfort to our family,” she said. "I hope all of you remember not only those who serve and those who have died for our country, but also the real victims in any war - our children."