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thedrifter
05-25-07, 07:08 AM
Prep school welcomes home twins from Iraq

Two Marines thank students for the hundreds of letters they sent overseas.

By Sallie James
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted May 25 2007

COCONUT CREEK · They are military heroes. Two Marine Reservists, identical twin brothers, faced the enemy in Fallujah in recent combat tours and earned Purple Heart medals in the process.

But speaking in front of a crowd of cheering students at their alma mater Thursday morning gave them the jitters.

"I feel overwhelmed," confessed Fort Lauderdale resident Alex Ferrer, 22, a lance corporal with the Second AABN Bravo Scout Platoon, as he stood stiffly at a podium before about 2,000 flag-waving students during a "Welcome Home" ceremony at North Broward Preparatory School. "I'm honored to be here."

Students from the school, which includes prekindergarten to 12th-grade classes, sent hundreds of letters to Ferrer and his brother Chris wishing them well during their 71/2 months overseas. The brothers graduated from North Broward Prep in 2004 and went to Iraq in September 2006.

"It was a war zone. It was rough," Chris Ferrer, 22, also a lance corporal, told the students. "What got us through over there were some of the letters you wrote." Later, he added, "When you get a letter over there, it warms your heart. It's good to be back. It was an intense journey."

The brothers returned to South Florida three weeks ago.

Alex Ferrer told the students he felt nervous speaking before them, mostly because he was used to being in small groups of people while overseas.

School President Philip Morgaman recalled the Ferrer brothers as curly-haired 8-year-olds who grew up under his watch. Their mother, Brooke, has been North Broward Preparatory's school nurse for 11 years. Their father is a Naval flight surgeon and their older brother, Eddie, also served in the Marines.

"Events like this are what bonds a family together and make you understand what is important and what is not," Morgaman said.

During their tours in Iraq, Chris Ferrer was injured by a suicide bomb. Alex Ferrer was wounded when a bullet ricocheted off the turret of his Humvee. Both agreed they were lucky. And both agreed it was comforting and frightening to have a twin brother serving in the same unit.

"It was excellent having him there, but having to say goodbye to your brother, you'd wonder if you would see him again," Alex Ferrer said.

The presence of Marines on the campus wowed second-grader Matthew Jernstrom, 8, who watched the ceremony with rapt attention.

"I never, ever saw a soldier before, not on TV, but in real life," Jernstrom said.

Seventh-grader Justin Zepatos, 13, was equally impressed.

"I pretty much said thank you," said Zepatos, who went out of his way to shake the Marines' hands. "They're the reason we're staying free now. They're pretty much the heart of America. It's kind of inspiring to do stuff for your country."

Sallie James can be reached at Sjames@sun-sentinel.com or 954-572-2019.

Ellie