Make Fallen Marine's Final Wish Come True!

SSGT Thomas "Tj" Dudley loved all three of his children. His oldest, Taylor, is not biologically his, but that didn't matter to him. He wanted Taylor Marie Wood become Taylor Marie Dudley and to be recognized as her father.

He started the adoption process for Taylor nearly 3 years ago. He signed all the paperwork in June 2010 with Base Legal. Then, an adoption agency called Children's Home Society came to the house two times in October 2010 to interview Tj and Taylor. The paperwork was filed with the courthouse in Jacksonville, NC in Onslow County.

We knew we were cutting it close with Tj's deployment; sure enough, he deployed in December of 2010. I called to check on the paperwork in February of 2011 and found out that they could not locate it. I have misplaced the case number and we paid the court fee in cash. After many phone calls we were told that we would have to start the filing process all over again. I was getting all the paperwork in order in July 2011 for Tj to finish again when he returned from his 6th deployment, but on the day I was to go pick up the paperwork, we were notified that he was killed in action for this country.

Tj loved his children and was as much Taylor's dad as he was to his own daughter. I need help in making Tj's last wish come true. He gave his entire life for this country; the least we can do is help make this happen for his sake and for the sake of his thirteen-year-old daughter.