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The remains of U.S. Navy SEAL candidate Kyle Mullen returned late Tuesday to the young man’s hometown in New Jersey, where he was welcomed home by the community, officials, fire departments, military personnel and a procession led by police, loved ones said.
Mullen, 24, was flown from California to Newark Liberty International Airport, where he landed just after 10:45 p.m. local time. There, he was greeted with applause from passengers on the flight that carried his casket and, later, with streets lined with supporters who held flags during the procession to the Freeman Funeral Home in Manalapan Township, New Jersey.
A Facebook page created in honor of the fallen seaman, “Remembering Kyle Mullen,” detailed the respects paid in a series of posts late Tuesday.
Navy SEAL candidate Kyle Mullen is seen in these photos provided by his family.
(Fox News Digital)
“I was visiting my sister in San Diego and on my return I was on this flight,” a person commented in one of the posts. “Let it be known there was an applause on board and respect was shown to this fallen soldier.”
One Facebook post said that while the family had not made any formal plans for Mullen’s arrival in New Jersey, members of the community had begun planning the honors themselves.
“To everyone who came out to welcome Kyle home – Governor Murphy, police departments, fire departments, naval officers, armed services, family, friends, neighbors, even passengers of United flight 2186, and many others – thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” a post on the Facebook page stated. “It was a beautiful and honorable homecoming.”
Mullen died after experiencing an unknown illness at the Naval Special Warfare Training Center in Coronado, California, on Feb. 4. Officials said he had successfully completed “Hell Week,” a notoriously grueling part of the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) training, but began experiencing unspecified symptoms hours later.
He and another SEAL candidate who was experiencing the symptoms were taken to nearby hospitals. Mullen could not be saved, the Navy said. The other ill SEAL candidate was reported to have been in stable condition.
Earlier this month, Mullen’s family released a statement in which they wrote that while devastated about his untimely loss, “we could not be more proud.”
“Kyle dreamed of serving others and enlisted in the Navy with the hopes of joining the best of the best – the Navy SEALs. He would not settle for anything less,” the statement continues. “Kyle was exactly where he wanted to be in life when he was with his fellow seamen/warriors/classmates at Coronado. He took on every challenge, and failure was not an option as he strived toward reaching his goal of passing Hell Week and receiving his brown shirt.”
READ THE MULLEN FAMILY’S FULL STATEMENT HERE
U.S. Navy spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Kara L. Handley told Fox News Digital on Wednesday that Mullen’s cause of death remained unknown and under investigation. Handley previously said the surviving SEAL candidate had since been released from the hospital.
The Navy has not since released any updates since Mullen’s identity was released on Feb. 6, 2022.
Mullen grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Manalapan High School, where he played football. He subsequently attended Monmouth University and then Yale University, where he continued the sport and was designated team captain. He left behind a brother in addition to his mother and other loved ones.
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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said the seaman “represented the very best of our state.”
Visitation services have been scheduled for 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Freeman Funeral Home, on Route 9 North in Manalapan. A full military Mass has been scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at St. Thomas Moore Church on Gordon’s Corner Road in Manalapan.
