Soldier's mysterious death a burden for Pittsburg family

By Paul Burgarino Contra Costa Times

Posted: 09/17/2009 02:36:22 PM PDT Updated: 09/17/2009 05:11:43 PM PDT

When Stanley Hopkins and ex-wife Janet Hopkins suffered through serious illnesses, their son was always at their side.

Now, the parents are trying to do the same for him as they lay their deceased "best friend" to rest.

Cpl. Jeramy Hopkins, who served in Iraq with the Army National Guard intermittently for 10 months before getting injured, died in his sleep during a camping trip to Mendocino with his mother over Labor Day weekend. He was 23. The family is awaiting results of a coroner's autopsy on the cause of death.

"At this point, we don't want to think about it," Stanley Hopkins said. "He was my only child. My absolute best friend. Not only did I lose a son, I lost my best friend."

During a visitation at Holy Angels mortuary in Antioch on Wednesday, close friends told stories of Jeramy's love of four-wheeling, dressing up like G.I. Joe as a child, and ability to get into and out of trouble. His funeral was held Thursday at Golden Hills Community Church in Brentwood.

The parents are struggling pay funeral costs, and local veterans are trying to help. The family owes the funeral home in Mendocino $700 for transporting Jeramy to the Bay Area, and another $12,900 for funeral home and burial services, according to Ethel Gilmore, a volunteer with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Livermore and Palo Alto who has been trying to garner support for the Hopkins family.

As of Thursday, about $5,000 had been collected from groups like Operation MOM, individual veterans and the P-Town Pushrods hot rod club in Pleasanton, Gilmore said.

Jeramy grew up in Dublin and Pleasanton, earned his General Educational Development credential, and fulfilled a childhood ambition of joining the Army at age 18. He served in the Army's 10th Mountain Division for three years, then the stint in the National Guard.

He returned home for a spell while serving in Iraq to help his mother after she had knee surgery. Jeramy was "my rock," Janet said.

Janet Hopkins is on disability for lupus and a couple of other ailments. Her son drove her to appointments and helped with daily functions, she said.

"He told me, 'Mom, you can't go through all this by yourself,'"‰" she said. "It's going to be tough for me. I can't believe it happened."

Jeramy insisted his father come back to California from South Carolina because of the health problems and the fact that he was about to lose his house and car, Stanley said.

"He drove like 31/2 days straight in the U-Haul. That was his top priority," Stanley said, recalling the help Jeramy provided.

Stanley had another heart problem when coming to Pittsburg, and Jeramy insisted he go to the hospital.

"I wouldn't have gone if he wouldn't have made me go. He probably saved my life," Stanley said.

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