Lance Corporal Brian A. Medina, 20, of Woodbridge, VA, died Nov. 12, 2004, as the result of enemy action in Al Anbar Province, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii. LCpl Medina joined the Marines in August 2002 and was deployed to Iraq in September 2004. Medina is survived by his parents, Gregory Medina and Lolita Converse, his sister, Jennifer, his brothers, Patrick and Andrew, and his stepsister, Stephanie.

“To me he was the kind of person that legends were made of,” LCpl Michael Erdman said of his fellow Marine.

The Travis Manion Foundation provided a Challenge Grant to Marines: Nick Collier, Nathan Noble, Ross Graves, Matt Dixon, and Jordan Mazar, empowering them to hike the Appalachian Trail in honor of LCpl Brian Medina and other Fallen Heroes. Through the mental and physical challenge of the hike, the men honored the lives of the fallen and shared in the camaraderie of the Marine Corps.