New Bedford Man Saves Veteran Headstone From Destruction

A strange yet powerful and heartfelt story has unfolded at a job site in Freetown, where New Bedford’s Jason Amaral was just going about his day, operating heavy equipment and processing construction material. It was routine work, until something in the dirt didn’t look right.

As his excavator bucket scooped into a pile of rubble, Amaral noticed a shape that stopped him cold. It wasn’t just another rock, it was a headstone.

It wasn't just any headstone. This one belonged to a veteran.

A Moment That Could Have Been Missed

Amaral quickly realized what he was looking at when he spotted the cross etched into the stone. In an instant, the job became something much bigger than moving material.

“It baffled me,” he said. “I knew exactly what it was, and I knew it didn’t belong there.”

The headstone had somehow been mixed into a load of transported material, far from where it should have been. In a place where large rocks are routinely crushed and processed, it could have easily been destroyed forever. Instead, Amaral pulled it aside.

“I have family members that are military,” he said. “I would expect the same respect for them.”

A Veteran’s Story, Almost Lost

The headstone belonged to Jack H. Owens, a U.S. Navy and Army veteran who served during Vietnam and Desert Storm. Owens passed away in 2019 and was laid to rest in the Veterans Section of Forest Dale Cemetery in Malden where his service and sacrifice is honored.

READ MORE: The Story of Dartmouth Veteran Sandy McConnell [VIDEO]

Somehow, his marker ended up miles away, buried in debris and headed for destruction, but thanks to one sharp eye and one quick decision, that didn’t happen.

From Freetown Back to Malden

Amaral took action the moment he pulled the stone to safety. He posted to social media, hoping someone could help identify the family. The response was immediate and within hours, connections were made. An Acushnet veteran named Bradford (Brad) stepped in, and arrangements are currently underway to return the headstone to Owens’ family in Malden where it belongs.

In a world where it’s easy to look the other way, one SouthCoast man chose not to and made sure a forgotten piece of someone’s legacy found its way home.