By . Damian Ghigliotty . PUBLISHED: . 20:44 EST, 24 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:44 EST, 24 November 2012 . It was a day of sorrow and remembrance for those close to Sgt. Joshua Michael, one of the four victims of a recent fatal train accident in West Texas. Michael, 34, a Purple Heart recipient and a dedicated husband and father, was buried on Saturday in Amarillo after he saved his wife’s life and lost his own minutes after. American flags lined the streets outside of the local chapel where his memorial service was held. Proper goodbye: The casket of Army Sgt. Joshua Michael is loaded onto a hearse after a his funeral service Saturday, November 24, 2012 in Amarillo, Texas . Heroic loss: Michael died when a Veterans Day parade float he was riding on was struck by a freight train Midland, Texas on November 15 . Michael died on November 15 when a Union Pacific freight train struck the Veterans Day parade float he was riding on. He was among 26 people riding on a flatbed truck en route to a support dinner in their honor when the train suddenly appeared on the tracks and ploughed through the float. According to Michael's mother-in-law, Mary Hefley, the Iraq war veteran pushed his wife of 15 years, Daylyn, off the float just moments before impact, saving her life in the process. The non-profit group America Supports You Texas will hold a prayer vigil for Michael and the other victims of the Midland parade accident at 2pm on Sunday at Texas Panhandle War Memorial, where Amarillo Mayor Paul Harpole is scheduled to speak. Proud supporters: Local streets are lined with American flags during the funeral services for Michael . A soldier remembered: A military salute is performed during the grave site funeral service for Michael at Llano Cemetery in Amarillo, Texas . ‘It’s important to honor Sgt. Michael and his family here in Amarillo because Hereford is part of our local family,’ Larry Lewis, acting America Supports You Texas, president Larry Lewis recently told the Amarillo Globe-News. ‘Whenever we lose a service member, we feel a need to honor that family and reach out and support them.’ Michael was born was born and raised in Hereford, Texas, according to his obituary. He graduated from Hereford High School in 1996 and attended Amarillo College where he met Daylyn, who he married in September 1997. Heroic husband: Michael died saving his wife of 15 years, Daylyn, just moment before Texas train crash . A sad story: Michael leaves behind (left to right) his daughter Maci, wife Daylyn and son Ryan . After the terrorist attacks in New York on September 11, 2001, Michael joined the Army. He and Daylyn moved to Fort Campbell, where he deployed to Iraq from 2003 to 2004. Michael returned home and was then redeployed to Iraq from 2005 to 2006. He was awarded two Purple Heart medals before being medically retired due to multiple brain injuries he had suffered after being hit by an IED while serving with the Mighty 101st Airborne Division. Despite the health problems he suffered as a result of serving his country, Michael said he was proud of being a soldier. 'I wouldn’t change anything that happened. I am a better man, husband and father because of my service,' he wrote in a biographical entry.
Sgt. Joshua Michael, 34, a Purple Heart recipient, died on November 15 when a Union Pacific freight train struck the Veterans Day parade float he was riding on .
Michael was buried on Saturday in Amarillo .
after he saved his wife’s life and lost his own minutes after .
He was one of four who died from the accident .
According to Michael's mother-in-law, .
Mary Hefley, he pushed his wife Daylyn .
off the float just moments before impact, saving her life in the .
process .
By . Damian Ghigliotty . PUBLISHED: . 20:44 EST, 24 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:44 EST, 24 November 2012 . It was a day of sorrow and remembrance for those close to Sgt. Joshua Michael, one of the four victims of a recent fatal train accident in West Texas. Michael, 34, a Purple Heart recipient and a dedicated husband and father, was buried on Saturday in Amarillo after he saved his wife’s life and lost his own minutes after. American flags lined the streets outside of the local chapel where his memorial service was held. Proper goodbye: The casket of Army Sgt. Joshua Michael is loaded onto a hearse after a his funeral service Saturday, November 24, 2012 in Amarillo, Texas . Heroic loss: Michael died when a Veterans Day parade float he was riding on was struck by a freight train Midland, Texas on November 15 . Michael died on November 15 when a Union Pacific freight train struck the Veterans Day parade float he was riding on. He was among 26 people riding on a flatbed truck en route to a support dinner in their honor when the train suddenly appeared on the tracks and ploughed through the float. According to Michael's mother-in-law, Mary Hefley, the Iraq war veteran pushed his wife of 15 years, Daylyn, off the float just moments before impact, saving her life in the process. The non-profit group America Supports You Texas will hold a prayer vigil for Michael and the other victims of the Midland parade accident at 2pm on Sunday at Texas Panhandle War Memorial, where Amarillo Mayor Paul Harpole is scheduled to speak. Proud supporters: Local streets are lined with American flags during the funeral services for Michael . A soldier remembered: A military salute is performed during the grave site funeral service for Michael at Llano Cemetery in Amarillo, Texas . ‘It’s important to honor Sgt. Michael and his family here in Amarillo because Hereford is part of our local family,’ Larry Lewis, acting America Supports You Texas, president Larry Lewis recently told the Amarillo Globe-News. ‘Whenever we lose a service member, we feel a need to honor that family and reach out and support them.’ Michael was born was born and raised in Hereford, Texas, according to his obituary. He graduated from Hereford High School in 1996 and attended Amarillo College where he met Daylyn, who he married in September 1997. Heroic husband: Michael died saving his wife of 15 years, Daylyn, just moment before Texas train crash . A sad story: Michael leaves behind (left to right) his daughter Maci, wife Daylyn and son Ryan . After the terrorist attacks in New York on September 11, 2001, Michael joined the Army. He and Daylyn moved to Fort Campbell, where he deployed to Iraq from 2003 to 2004. Michael returned home and was then redeployed to Iraq from 2005 to 2006. He was awarded two Purple Heart medals before being medically retired due to multiple brain injuries he had suffered after being hit by an IED while serving with the Mighty 101st Airborne Division. Despite the health problems he suffered as a result of serving his country, Michael said he was proud of being a soldier. 'I wouldn’t change anything that happened. I am a better man, husband and father because of my service,' he wrote in a biographical entry.
a Purple Heart recipient and a dedicated husband and father, was buried on Saturday in Amarillo after he saved his wife’s life and lost his own Michael died when a Veterans Day parade float he November 15 when a Union Pacific freight train struck the Veterans Day parade float he was According to Michael's mother-in-law, Mary Hefley, the Iraq war veteran pushed his wife of 15 years, Daylyn, off the float just moments before impact, saving her life in the process.