Marine Lance Corporal Scott E. Dougherty

Let’s see, oh, you’re going back, it would have been Sugg. Sugg Middle? And then there’s Bayshore Gardens Elementary, he was at that. And he was also—he had some learning disabilities, so he also attended Abel. Abel had some special classes for him.

But he would go to the Boys Club, I remember him—they had like an afterschool care there, because I worked full-time—and he spent a lot of time at the Boys Club over on 57th. And he liked that, getting in with the sports—and he was small, he did a little bit of basketball, and he would get involved with that. He liked the kids there.

He liked, like, running, jogging. I would see him out on the street a lot, you know, jogging. He enjoyed that, and he did all—he was signed up for all the extra stuff for the ROTC, the rifle, the infantry, all that stuff. He really enjoyed that.

I can remember going to high school and meeting with them for the first time, and they asked Scotty—and I kind of stepped back and let Scotty answer his own questions—and they asked him, "What do you see yourself doing out of high school?" And at that time he said he wanted to join the service, and go into the military.

Which, you know, I didn’t want to impede on anything he wanted to do. I wanted to make sure he could make his own decisions, and that’s what he wanted to do. So, I mean, right as soon as he got into high school, he knew he wanted to serve.

For his sixth birthday—so, we’re on the couch, and it was his sixth birthday was coming up that weekend. And—so keep in mind I was a single mom with two kids, and I say, “Okay,” I say, “It’s a special day this weekend, you got a birthday coming up. If you could have anything you wanted, what would you want for your birthday?”

And he just looked up at me, he goes, “I would want a mom that doesn’t smoke” because I was smoking at the time. And it was like, oh man, I quit smoking that weekend. (laughs)

Without a doubt. He just had a big heart. Just had a big heart. He was a good kid. And he was very small: when he was born he only weighed three pounds six ounces, even though he was pretty much full term—he was only two weeks early. And so he’s really had to work harder his whole life to keep up with his class and, you know, his size with the kids.

And I can remember him playing softball, and they ordered him the smallest shirt that they had, but it still came down to his knees. It looked like a dress, almost. He always ended up walking, mostly, when he would get up to bat, because they could never find his strike zone it was so small.

But for him to become a Marine, to be that small and to work as hard as he did his whole life and to become a Marine—that was a huge thing.

He struggled his whole life. He did have a speech disability, so he stuttered. So, he had to work extra hard for everything. And plus, with his speech impediment, you know, he had to also blend in with the kids. And, you know, kids can be kind of cruel. But they were all really good to Scotty, he really didn’t have any bad times with bullies or anything.

He just, he’s just always had to work super hard his whole life and he always did, he was always a great kid. He knew what was expected of him, and he did it.

Scotty had a big heart. I can remember my stepfather, and his comment was—Scotty had come over, and he was, you know, away from the family for a little while. And Scotty came up and Paul went to extend his arm out for a handshake. And Scotty just pushed his hand aside and just gave him a big hug—he says, “I’m a hugger, not a shaker.” He was just—he just had a big heart. Big heart for a young man.

It was like exactly a month after his birthday, and I was so concerned that he wasn’t able to get his present, because I sent him a package over there. But he goes, “Yeah, I got it,” you know, he goes, “Thanks so much.” And, so I don’t even think he had a chance to enjoy everything that was in it.

I was actually up in—I was on vacation, up in Michigan with some family—and I remember it was 4th of July weekend. And we were sitting on a hill outside watching fireworks—it was so pleasant, it was beautiful.

But I can remember the grand finale that year—it was beautiful: red, white, blue, boom boom boom, red, white, blue—and I thought, “Scotty’s doing a great thing. One day, the Iraqis will be celebrating their freedom.”

And right after that is when I got the phone call from the Marines. And they’re like, “This is the United States Marine Corps, on behalf of the President,” and I’m thinking, “What’s wrong with my son?” And he’s like, “We regret to inform you”—and as soon as he said “I regret” I just felt everything sink.

And I was in a public place at the time, and I just sank down to my knees and just cried, “My baby, my baby,” and then all the security guards came over, and they’re like, “Ma’am, you’ve got to settle down, you’ve got to settle down.” And somebody said, “Her son just died, he was over in Iraq,” and one security guard came over and put his arm around me. And he said, “Come on, let’s go somewhere private.” And he escorted me to a room. But there was one security guard with a heart there, to help comfort. It was a rough day.