Body of Ill. Marine Sara Medina killed in Nepal returns home

PLAINFIELD, Ill. (WLS) -- A west suburban community comes out to honor a Marine killed in Nepal, as her remains received an escort after returning to Chicago Tuesday.

Corporal Sara Medina of Aurora was supporting earthquake relief efforts in Nepal when she died in a helicopter crash.

It took three weeks for Corporal Medina's body to come home. Her casket arrived at a west suburban Plainfield funeral home Tuesday afternoon. It has been a difficult time for her family as the mourn the loss of a young woman and Marine who died not in combat, but while on a relief mission helping others in need.

An honor guard awaited the arrival of Corporal Medina's remains at O'Hare International Airport Tuesday. The Marine was among eight people killed in a helicopter crash while on a relief mission in Nepal.

"It doesn't have to be a combat death. A loss is a loss and rather than mourn the dead we thank God that such people lived," said David Hume, Patriot Guard.

An Aurora native, Medina was a military photographer stationed in Okinawa.

"She was doing what she loves," said Marlene Frigo. "She had a passion for it, and hopefully fulfilled her dreams."

Frigo never met Medina, but Tuesday she stood outside a Plainfield funeral home, along with dozens of others, flag in hand, waiting for the hearse to arrive. Her son is in the Marines as well.

"My heart goes out to that family," Frigo said. "I feel close to the situation. I can only imagine what they're going through."

This was to have been Medina's last mission. She had recently become engaged to a fellow Marine. They were to have been married in August.

Visitation and church services for Cpl. Medina will be held in Plainfield Wednesday. She will be buried in Mexico, where her parents are originally from.