Lisa Thompson retained her motherly instincts Tuesday, even as her only child returned to her draped in an American flag.

Standing on the tarmac at Dane County Regional Airport a little after 9 a.m. on Tuesday, she tried to make sure everyone was warm enough and had water to drink as she waited for her son, Sgt. Daniel Thompson, to come home. Thompson, 24, of Madison and a 2003 graduate of Portage High School, was killed in Afghanistan on Feb. 24.

The family arrived at Wisconsin Aviation from Portage in a white limousine in the cold, early morning hours. Multiple police cruisers escorted the family, making sure there were no more barriers to stop them from seeing him.

Large flags unfurled as the family arrived, held by Wisconsin members of the Patriot Guard Riders, who stood silent to honor Thompson and his relatives.

Maria Steinke wore a three-diamond pendant given to her by her love of more than three years. Lisa Thompson wore a silver charm bracelet with Daniel spelled out in block letters.

There was no official announcement that the plane had arrived. Mark Erd, Lisa Thompson’s brother, saw an aircraft land at about 9:15 a.m. He got out of the limousine and started videotaping, along with Lisa’s sister, Dee Voigt.

When they saw members of the Army honor guard approach the plane, they knew Sgt. Thompson had returned home.
More than 20 friends and family members breathed deeply and wiped away tears. There was little conversation as they watched.

When Lisa Thompson realized it was the plane they had been waiting for, she dropped to the ground, stunned at the reality of what was happening. Two military jets flew over in a nod of solidarity.

About 25 feet in front of the small group, the casket was lowered and put gently into a silver hearse. Army pallbearers and police officials saluted. The heaviness of the pain was so great that Steinke collapsed, but her father, David, caught her and lifted her back up.

It took only a matter of minutes for the transition to take place; the family then followed the hearse back to Portage. After a week of grieving without his presence, the Thompson family could do so with him nearby.
“He’s home. I’m just so happy he’s home,” Lisa Thompson said.

On both sides of Highway 51 during the trip back to Portage, people put a hand over their heart or held a flag. In Poynette — Steinke’s hometown — students stood behind a chain-link fence and clusters of residents lined the way back to Portage. Some residents stopped their cars and got out to stand.

It seemed that at every intersection, more and more police and fire vehicles joined the processional. At the end, Lisa was able to touch her son again at Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home. She felt his dog tags, kissed the casket and hugged it tightly. Lisa brought Steinke over to lay their heads on top of it.

“This feels good. I feel comforted,” Lisa said.