RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — The family of an honorably discharged U.S. Army combat veteran is asking for help from the community after the death of Demond Thomas.
His mother said Thomas, 39, died March 9 after crashing his pickup truck into a plant nursery on Military Trail in Riviera Beach.
Thomas was born in Palm Beach County and moved to Oklahoma as a child.
He returned to South Florida to spend time with family during the summer and graduated from Royal Palm Beach Community High School.
After high school, Thomas entered the Army, served overseas and received an honored discharge.
Thomas was employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs for more than 10 years.
"He gave up his job -- he gave up everything -- to move from Oklahoma to Florida to be at a facility to give him the best leg," his mother, Sherron Jones, told WPTV.
Thomas married Emi Sira on Dec. 30, 2019. The couple recently celebrated the birth of their first son together on Feb. 26.
"It's hard for me now," Sira said. "He was my life. He is my life."
Thomas, who spoke with WPTV about the Wounded Veterans Relief Fund in December, leaves behind five children, his wife, parents and several other family members.
The community is invited to honor Thomas at the following services:
VIEWING: Friday from 6-8 p.m. at Camel Funeral Home, 725 S. Main St., Belle Glade, FL 33430
SERVICE: Saturday at 11 a.m., New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 1101 W. Ave. A, Belle Glade, FL 33430
INTERMENT: Thursday, April 1 at 2 p.m., South Florida National Cemetery, 6501 U.S. Highway 441, Lake Worth, FL 33449
The Wounded Veterans Relief Fund has established a donation page to assist the family.
"It's hard," Jones said. "It's very hard, but we will get through it."