Fallen Marine from LI laid to rest with full military honors

A U.S. Marine from Locust Valley who was killed in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan earlier this month was laid to rest Wednesday with full military honors at Calverton National Cemetery.
Family, friends and fellow service members all gathered to pay their final respects to 25-year-old Sgt. Robert Hendriks.
Brent Seigel and Hendriks were friends since childhood. He describes Hendriks as dedicated and courageous, with an old soul.
"He was the strongest person I've ever known," Seigel says.
As excited as Hendriks was to serve his country, friends say he was also excited to come home and that he often talked about his plans for the future. Seigel says Hendriks was going to start his own locksmith business.
Late Wednesday afternoon, Hendriks' mother released a statement to News 12, saying in part: "I'm overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and love from all of our friends, family, and people we don't even know, who stood in line for hours, and I'm forever in gratitude to all of the Marines who have stood by us through all of this and all of the servicemen and women."
Hendriks is survived by his parents and a younger brother, who was also serving in Afghanistan at the time of the bombing.
Two other Marines were killed in the bombing, including Staff Sgt. Christopher Slutman, who was also a New York City firefighter. A funeral Mass for him will be held Friday in Manhattan.