American Hero: United States Army Specialist Jeremy Daniel Evans

By Ralphine Major

I saw a picture of him carrying a big brass tuba from his days in the Gibbs High School Marching Band.  As a former member of the Gibbs band, I was interested to learn more about the tuba player from Gibbs.

Jeremy Daniel Evans was a United States Army Specialist.  Recently, this young American hero was in the news after he was tragically killed in an accident while stationed in Alaska.  He was only 23 years old.  On Sunday, October 22, 2023, a funeral procession was scheduled to leave Mynatt’s Funeral Home Halls Chapel and make its way to Clear Springs Baptist Church in Corryton, Tennessee, where a Celebration of Life service followed.

Evans is the second Gibbs graduate from the Corryton Community in just over two years to lose his life while serving his country.  In a few weeks our nation will celebrate Veterans Day.  It will surely have new meaning after such a tragic loss.  I did not know this young man who selflessly served his country, but my heart breaks for his young wife and family he leaves behind.  May we remember them in prayer that God will comfort and strengthen them.  During these difficult days, I called again on Justin Pratt, Senior Pastor of Clear Springs Baptist Church, to share an inspirational word with Focus readers.  His heartfelt message and words of faith follow:

“Once again it has become both our responsibility and our privilege to host the family of a local hero.  SPC Jeremy Evans had determined to spend his life defending the freedoms that we, as Americans, love and enjoy every day.  Unbeknownst to him, the thing that he devoted his life to do would become the same thing that claimed his life.  A hero can best be described as someone who moves forward with an enormous task, and knowing the risk, determines to do it anyway.  SPC Evans, a native of the Gibbs community and member of the U.S. Army is a hero. His family shared with me that his life’s verse was Jeremiah 29:11.  There the Bible states: ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.’ (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV).  This young man had a confidence in the sovereignty of God, understood his assignment while he was on the earth, and accomplished it as a good soldier.  We are indebted to young women and men like Jeremy.  May he perpetually rest in peace.”