Meagan Heisinger discovered this year through an ancestry test that her father, James Bradley Lane, had been recovered by Missing In America Project volunteers and buried as an unclaimed veteran at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery on Sept. 13, 2018. She has launched a GoFundMe to repatriate his remains to Colorado, where he lived much of his life. Meagan must file a paternity petition (about $268), pay roughly $600 for DNA testing, and likely retain a lawyer, making the effort legally complex and costly.
Daughter Launches GoFundMe To Bring Veteran Father Home After He Was Buried Unclaimed
KOAA 5/YouTube; GoFundMeMeagan Heisinger, James Bradley Lane
Meagan Heisinger is working to bring her father, James Bradley Lane, home to Colorado after discovering he was buried as an unclaimed veteran in Washington state.
Meagan says she located Lane this year after taking an ancestry test and getting help from an 'ancestry angel' — a volunteer who assists people interpreting genealogical results. Volunteers with the Missing In America Project (MIAP) recovered Lane's remains, and the Department of Veterans Affairs verified his military service. According to cemetery records on Find a Grave, he was interred with military honors at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery (WSVC) in Medical Lake on Sept. 13, 2018.
Determined to have her father closer, Meagan launched a GoFundMe to raise the funds needed to repatriate his remains to Colorado, where she says he spent most of his life. She told local reporters she had not seen him since she was a baby and wants to be able to visit his grave in person.
GoFundMeJames Bradley Lane
The hurdles are both legal and financial. Meagan says she must first file a petition for paternity in court (an estimated filing fee of $268) and pay about $600 for DNA testing. She also expects to hire an attorney to ensure the correct documents are filed, and she faces additional costs to transport and rebury the remains across state lines.
"I'm upset, I'm devastated. There's just no words to talk about how much it hurts. And then now I have to prove that he's my father... Having to do all of these hoops — it's hard," Meagan told KOAA News 5.
Meagan's fundraiser and local coverage underline the emotional strain and practical complexities families can encounter when trying to claim and relocate veterans who were buried as unclaimed. Her GoFundMe page includes details about the legal steps and costs she faces for DNA testing, court filings, legal advice and the eventual transfer of remains.
If you want to follow or support Meagan's effort, search for her GoFundMe and read local reporting from KOAA News 5 and People for the latest updates.
