Korean War POW's remains flown home

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Wichita, Kan. (KAKE) -- On Saturday, Father Emil Kapaun, the Kansas clergyman who died successful a Korean POW campy implicit 70 years ago, yet got his hero's invited home. 

His level touched down astatine Eisenhower National Airport astatine noon. Service members cautiously unloaded Father Kapaun's American flag-draped casket. He was yet home, backmost successful Kansas for the archetypal clip since helium near the authorities for subject work successful 1949. 

It was a monumental time for the Catholic Diocese of Wichita.

"The bishops of the Diocese person been hoping 1 time we mightiness person the mortal remains of our beloved priest, Father Kapaun, backmost with us. And present it's travel to pass,"  remarked Bishop Carl Kemme.

The instrumentality was an affectional 1 for many, including Nick Dellasega. He is 1 of Father Kapaun's imaginable miracles, saying, "In 2011, I was moving successful a 5k and my bosom stopped. People prayed and Father Kapaun saved my life, interceded for me." 

While Dellasega watched arsenic the casket was loaded onto the hearse that would instrumentality Kapaun to Pilsen, different idiosyncratic waited extracurricular the airdrome for his accidental to drawback a glimpse of the motorcade.

Chase Kear suffered a large caput wounded successful a rod vault accident, astir sidesplitting him. While successful the hospital, his household prayed to Father Kapaun. Kear says those prayers are what saved his life. 

"It's truly it's hard to picture each the feelings I got going connected close now," helium admitted.

As Father Kapaun's motorcade near the airport, headed to the priest's hometown of Pilsen, some men accidental they are honored to wage tribute to the 1 they judge saved their lives.

Dellasega says each of this "is thing that we ne'er thought would happen."

As for Kear, helium says the the infinitesimal was astir overwhelming.

"My bosom was astir to explode, conscionable knowing that he's location aft after 70 years, and however overmuch that means to truthful galore people. I mean, it means truthful overmuch more."

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