Before he died, 12-year-old Cody Green achieved his dream of becoming a United States Marine.

Meera Pal, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Before he died, 12-year-old Cody Green achieved his dream of becoming a United States Marine.

Green had always admired the strength and courage of the Marines says his father, David Snowberger.

Snowberger tells an Indiana-based television station the Marines decided Green had showed “strength and honor and courage” through his health battles.

The Marines decided to make the boy an honorary member, giving him navigator wings.

However, for one Marine, that wasn’t enough.

The night before Green died, one Marine stood guard at the boy’s hospital door all night long, for eight hours straight, Snowberger says.

Green had leukemia since he was 22 months old. He had successfully battled the cancer three times and was cancer-free. However, the chemotherapy had lowered his immune system. He died from a fungus that attacked his brain.

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