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News2024-09-17T13:35:58-04:00

Xiarhos: Memorials not enough to support police

May 20, 2026

I am honored to have an op-ed published in today’s Boston Herald. Sadly, the subject is the tragic deaths of so many members of law enforcement and other heroic first responders here in Massachusetts.

These brave men and women perform jobs that are dangerous by nature, but their service becomes even more dangerous when violent criminals are allowed to roam our streets with impunity.

It is time for the Legislature to act on proposals that hold dangerous offenders accountable and help protect not only our police officers and first responders, but the public as well.

The victims of crime are not anonymous. They are sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, friends, and neighbors — real people taken from us far too soon.

Fixing the failures that contribute to these tragedies is a choice. We must choose to act. We cannot allow more lives to be lost on our watch.

Read Steve’s Op-ed Here

The Pledge

January 22, 2026

I was especially honored to represent my son, Nicholas, and stand shoulder to shoulder with Massachusetts Gold Star Families as we led the Pledge of Allegiance tonight at the State of the State address in the People’s House. A moment I will carry with me forever. May God Bless America, our Commonwealth, and our fallen heroes.

Happy Thankful Thursday

January 22, 2026

I am filled with gratitude for Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod and the incredible work they do making dreams come true for people right here in our community.

This is also a joyful follow-up to the story of my wonderful friend Lisa. I first met Lisa two years ago when she was working full-time on Cape Cod, born and raised here, yet without a home of her own. At the time, she was living in a tent in the state forest in Sandwich. She asked me to come and visit, and that visit began a friendship that has lasted through the years.

Lisa’s strength, kindness, and perseverance deeply inspired me. Her story is one of the reasons I chose to join Executive Director Wendy Cullinan and serve on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod. I saw firsthand how working people can fall through the cracks—and how compassion, community, and commitment can change lives.

I am beyond happy to share that yesterday Lisa and her friend signed the papers for their brand new home in Wellfleet. They moved in, and this morning Lisa sent me a photo of her very first cup of tea in her new home. From living in a tent in the woods to sitting at her own table in a safe, beautiful, energy-efficient home that she and her housemate will enjoy for the rest of their lives.

This is what Habitat for Humanity does. This is what happens when donors, sponsors, volunteers, and believers in people come together to lift someone up.

Happy Thankful Thursday, Lisa—and happy Thankful Thursday to everyone who makes stories like this possible.

God bless!

Wind Turbine Failure in Bourne / Plymouth Area

November 8, 2025

State Representative Steve Xiarhos (R – 5th Barnstable) has issued the following statement:

While I was in Boston yesterday, I was informed of a serious incident involving one of the wind turbines on the town line between Bourne and Plymouth near Head of the Bay Road.

According to Plymouth Fire Chief Neil Foley, a neighbor called in the early afternoon after noticing one of the three blades on the 300 foot turbine was missing. Firefighters found the detached blade, about 75 to 100 feet long, several hundred feet away in a cranberry bog. Thankfully no one was hurt and the turbine shut itself down as designed.

We were fortunate this happened in an open area and not near homes, but it raises real concerns for nearby families and the environment. These turbines sit close to working cranberry bogs and wetlands. If a blade filled with contaminants breaks loose, it can affect water quality, farmland, and wildlife. Offshore, similar failures threaten marine life, fishing, and tourism. Cape Cod’s natural beauty and economy depend on strong environmental protection.

I have filed or co-sponsored several bills addressing these concerns, including safety, local input, emergency planning, siting near neighborhoods, and recycling turbines when they are no longer in use:

  • H.3579 – An Act Providing for a Wind Farm Study
  • H.D.4318 – An Act Establishing an Extended Producer Responsibility Program for Offshore Wind Energy Equipment
  • H.3479 – An Act Relative to the Onshore Siting of Infrastructure Associated with Offshore Wind Projects
  • H.3585 – An Act Establishing a Special Commission to Study the Potential Risks to Cities and Towns from the Onshore Electrical Infrastructure Supporting Offshore Wind Energy Projects

Public safety and environmental protection must always come first. I will be working closely with my colleague State Representative Michelle Badger, who represents the district bordering this area of Bourne and Plymouth, to make sure residents get answers and that this site is cleaned up promptly and safely.

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FOOD PANTRIES AND NUTRITION SERVICES ON CAPE COD

November 3, 2025

Cape Cod is a community that looks out for one another. Across every town, there are dedicated volunteers and organizations making sure that no one goes hungry. Below is a list of local food pantries and programs by town. Please share this information with anyone who may need a helping hand.

⸻

BARNSTABLE

Cape Cod Community College Family Pantry

Building #7 (Grossman Commons Cafeteria)

Tuesdays 12–2 PM, Wednesdays 11 AM–1 PM

Open to all students, faculty, and staff

774-330-4857

First Baptist Church Pantry

486 Main Street, Hyannis

Tuesdays 9 AM–12 PM

508-775-1846

St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry – St. Francis Xavier Church

21 Cross Street, Hyannis

Tuesdays and Fridays 10 AM–12 PM

508-775-3073

Salvation Army Pantry and Soup Kitchen

100 North Street, Hyannis

Pantry by appointment Monday through Thursday 10–11:15 AM

Breakfast 8:30–9:30 AM, Lunch 11:30–12:30 PM

508-775-0364

Faith Family Kitchen

154 Bearses Way, Hyannis

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 5:30–6:30 PM

508-775-5073

Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Center Pantry

223 Stevens Street, Hyannis

Thursdays 9 AM–6 PM

508-778-1590

⸻

BOURNE

Friends Food Pantry

121 Main Street, Buzzards Bay

Tuesdays 9 AM–12 PM

508-759-3351

Empowerment Center (JBCC)

1015 South Inner Road, Buzzards Bay

Monday and Friday 10 AM–1 PM, Wednesday 1–4 PM

(For those with base access)

⸻

BREWSTER

Lower Cape Outreach Council Pantry

Brewster Baptist Church, 1848 Main Street

Mondays and Thursdays 10 AM–12 PM

508-240-0694

lcoutreach.org/pantry-hours

⸻

CHATHAM

Lower Cape Outreach Council Pantry

St. Christopher’s Church, 625 Main Street

Tuesdays 4–6 PM, Thursdays 3–5 PM

508-240-0694

First United Methodist Church Pantry

16 Cross Street, Chatham

Thursdays and Fridays 11 AM–2 PM

⸻

EASTHAM

Lower Cape Outreach Council Pantry

Eastham United Methodist Church, 3200 State Hwy (Route 6)

Monday 4–6 PM, Tuesday 10–12, Thursday 2–4 PM

508-240-0694

Community Fridge

2500 State Hwy, Eastham (between Town Hall and Police Dept.)

774-801-3229

Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Mobile Pantry

Eastham Elks Club, 10 McKoy Road

2nd and 4th Tuesdays 10 AM–1 PM

⸻

FALMOUTH

Falmouth Service Center

611 Gifford Street

Tuesday 10–12, Wednesday 3:30–5:30, Thursday 10–12, Friday 10–12

508-548-2794

A Place at the Table – St. Barnabas’s Episcopal Church

91 Main Street

Hot lunches Tuesday and Thursday 11 AM–1 PM

508-548-3863

St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry – St. Patrick Church

511 Main Street

Tuesday and Friday 10 AM–12 PM and 1–3 PM

508-563-7775

Cape and Islands Veterans Outreach Mobile Pantry

Falmouth AmVets, 366 Palmer Ave

1st and 3rd Tuesdays 10 AM–1 PM

⸻

HARWICH

The Family Pantry of Cape Cod

133 Queen Anne Road

Tuesday 10–3:30, Wednesday 10–12, Thursday 10–7, Saturday 9–12

508-432-6519

Lower Cape Outreach Council Pantry

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 73 Main Street

Monday 1–3, Tuesday 3:30–5, Wednesday 12:30–2:30, Friday 10–12

508-240-0694

The People’s Fridge – Harwich Community Center

100 Oak Street

508-430-7509

⸻

MASHPEE

Christ the King Food Pantry

5 Job’s Fishing Road

Wednesdays 9 AM–12 PM

508-477-7700

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Food Pantry

483 Great Neck Road South

Tuesday through Thursday 12–4 PM

508-477-0208 ext. 189

⸻

ORLEANS

Lower Cape Outreach Council Pantry

Orleans Methodist Church, 73 Main Street

Tuesdays 10 AM–12 PM

508-240-0694

⸻

PROVINCETOWN

Lower Cape Outreach Council Pantry

United Methodist Church, 20 Shank Painter Road

Wednesday and Thursday 10 AM–2 PM

Soup Kitchen in Provincetown (SKIP)

Same location

Monday through Friday 12:30–1:30 PM (November through April)

508-487-8331

Crop Swap – Provincetown Library

356 Commercial Street

Open during library hours

⸻

SANDWICH

Sandwich Food Pantry

331 Cotuit Road

Wednesday 10–12, Last Wednesday 6–7:30 PM, 3rd Saturday 10–12

508-888-3816

St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry

322 Quaker Meetinghouse Road

Thursdays 9:30–12 PM

508-833-1555

Empowerment Center (Non-Base Access)

117 Route 6A

Monday and Tuesday 10–1, Thursday and Friday 12:30–4

774-205-7232

⸻

SOUTH YARMOUTH

Cape Cod Community Food Pantry

845 Route 28, Unit 16 (Lighthouse Landing Plaza)

Tuesday and Thursday 5:30–6:30 PM

508-394-0880

St. David’s Episcopal Church

205 Old Main Street

3rd Wednesday each month

508-394-4222

⸻

WELLFLEET

Lower Cape Outreach Council Pantry

Our Lady of Lourdes Parking Lot, 2282 Route 6

Monday and Wednesday 3–6 PM, Thursday 10–12 PM

⸻

WEST YARMOUTH

Canaan Church Food Pantry and Community Garden

204 Route 28

508-266-1439

⸻

TRURO

Truro Community Kitchen

Christian Union Church, 27 Shore Road

Deliveries on Tuesdays

508-514-1833

Lower Cape Outreach Council Pantry

Community Center, 7 Standish Way

Tuesday and Wednesday 10–12:30 PM

⸻

Cape Cod’s food pantries are open and ready to help. If you or someone you know needs food assistance, please reach out to one of these local programs.

If you have any questions, please email my office at Steven.Xiarhos@mahouse.gov

State Representative Steve Xiarhos

July 23rd

State Representative Steve Xiarhos
THANK YOU — AND AN UPDATE FOR OUR COMMUNITYThank you to everyone who reached out today to remember our son, U.S. Marine Corporal Nicholas G. Xiarhos. The prayers, kind words, and support meant so much to my family and me. We are truly blessed.Today was a special day of remembrance and reflection. I continued to do the work the people of the Fifth Barnstable District elected me to do.Tonight, I attended the Sagamore Bridge Replacement Design Public Hearing at Bourne High School. It was a very well attended meeting and was very well coordinated by MassDOT.Residents had the opportunity to learn more about the proposed replacement of the Sagamore Bridge, including the latest designs, construction plans, traffic impacts, detours, and the next steps in this important project. MassDOT also provided an update on the Bourne Bridge project.This is a historic project that will impact Cape Cod for generations. If you were unable to attend tonight, there is still time to review the plans and submit your questions or comments. MassDOT will be accepting public input for the next 10 days.Learn more and submit comments here:https://www.mass.gov/cape-bridgesI have included some pictures from tonight’s meeting.Thank you again for remembering Nick today and for all the kindness shown to my family over the past 17 years.God bless.🇺🇸😊🫡#RepX #Fightin5th #HonorAndRemember #GoldStarFamilies #Bourne #Sagamore #SagamoreBridge #MassDOT #CapeCod #Massachusetts #MaPoliMassDOTBourne High School ... See MoreSee Less

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State Representative Steve Xiarhos is in Afghanistan.

July 23rd

State Representative Steve Xiarhos
THE LAST GOODBYE — SEVENTEEN YEARS LATER, WE REMEMBER NICKSeventeen years ago today, my son, U.S. Marine Corporal Nicholas G. Xiarhos, was killed in action in Afghanistan. He was just 21 years old.This is the last photograph ever taken of Nick and his friend, U.S. Marine Sergeant Jonathan “Q” Quiceno.Neither of them knew it would be their final goodbye.Recently, Q came to Cape Cod and shared the story behind this photograph. Nick was driving in a heavily armored convoy while Q and his Marines were on foot patrol. Nick stopped, jumped out of his vehicle, gave Q a big hug, and handed out cold bottles of water to him and every Marine on that patrol.To most people, it may have just been water.To Marines in the middle of a combat zone, water was gold.That moment was Nick.He always saw the people around him. He always found a way to help. He always made someone else’s day a little better, even in the middle of war.Last weekend, Q stood before thousands of people at Big Nick’s Ride for the Fallen. Through stories of laughter, friendship, courage, and kindness, he reminded all of us that Nick was not defined only by the way he died, but by the way he lived.I have included Q’s entire speech in the link below. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read his words and meet the Marine, the friend, and the brother we were all blessed to know.https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1YfD8FEhU9/?mibextid=wwXIfrQ’s words did something I will never forget. They brought Nick to life in a way that allowed thousands of people to know the son, the Marine, and the friend we have missed every day for the past 17 years.For our family, hearing those stories brought something we hadn’t felt in a long time—the joy of remembering Nick, not just the pain of losing him.His words are now reaching people far beyond Cape Cod, reminding others what kind of Marine, friend, and man Nick was.Please share his story.Marines have a saying: “Living the dream.”For many, it’s said with a smile during the hardest days.But Nick meant it.He chose happiness.He chose friendship.He chose to make life better for the people around him.That was Nick.He was living the dream.I miss my son every single day.Not just today.Every day.Please take a moment to remember Nick and all of our fallen heroes. They gave us every tomorrow we will ever have.Live a life worthy of their sacrifice.Never forget.Semper Fidelis.🇺🇸⭐️🙏🏻#RepX #Fightin5th #HonorAndRemember #LiveWorthy #LivingTheDream #SemperFidelis #NGX 2nd Battalion 8th Marines- Front Toward HeroJonathan Quiceno ... See MoreSee Less

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State Representative Steve Xiarhos was live.

July 22nd

State Representative Steve Xiarhos
LIVE FROM THE FIREFIGHTERS MEMORIAL ON THE GROUNDS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE HOUSE IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS International Association of Fire FightersProfessional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts (PFFM)Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts FoundationBoston Firefighters Local 718 IAFFJoint Base Cape Cod Firefighters Local S-28Sandwich Fire DepartmentBourne Fire/Rescue & Emergency ServicesWest Barnstable Fire DepartmentCenterville-Osterville-Marstons Mills Fire & Rescue Department ... See MoreSee Less

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State Representative Steve Xiarhos

July 22nd

State Representative Steve Xiarhos
GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY WEDNESDAY!Back to business on Beacon Hill. Heading to Boston to do the people’s work and wanted to share the latest update on something very important to many of our law enforcement families.Last week, we stood together as the Governor signed the Blue Star License Plate bill into law — a moment we were proud to witness alongside families of officers who made the ultimate sacrifice.This new license plate honors surviving family members of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty and recognizes the service, sacrifice, and legacy of these heroes.The Registry of Motor Vehicles is now accepting information from eligible families who are interested in receiving the Blue Star Family License Plate. Families can pre-apply now to be kept updated as the plate moves through the final design and production process.To register your interest, visit:https://www.mass.gov/forms/blue-star-family-license-plate-register-your-interestThank you to all the families who joined us for the signing and helped make this day possible. This plate is a lasting reminder that we never forget those who gave everything and the families who continue to carry their names and stories forward.🇺🇸💙🙏🏻🫡#RepX #Fightin5th #BackTheBlue#NeverForget #BlueStarFamily #LawEnforcementFamily #HonorAndRememberMassachusetts State PoliceBarnstable Police DepartmentSandwich Police DepartmentBourne Police DepartmentBoston Police Patrolmen's AssociationCape Cod FOP Lodge #17, Massachusetts Fraternal Order of PoliceThe New England PBA, Inc.Massachusetts Coalition of PoliceMassachusetts Fraternal Order of PoliceMassachusetts Police AssociationState Police Association of MassachusettsSMPCA Southeastern Massachusetts Police Chiefs AssociationMassachusetts Chiefs of Police Association ... See MoreSee Less

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State Representative Steve Xiarhos

July 20th

State Representative Steve Xiarhos
THE WORDS THAT BROUGHT NICK HOMEBNR XVII 2026I’m still trying to process Big Nick’s Ride for the Fallen XVII. The number of motorcycles, the thousands of people, and the incredible love and support shown for Nick and all of our fallen is something we will never forget.But one moment keeps coming back to me.Jonathan “Q” Quiceno traveled from Orlando, Florida, leaving his wife, his four children, and his small business behind, because he knew he needed to be here. Q served with Nick. He was his friend. He was his brother. And he came here to share the story of the Marine we were all blessed to know.What he shared was something I will never forget. He didn’t just talk about how Nick died. He reminded us how Nick lived — the laughter, the friendships, the brotherhood, and the way Nick could make any room better just by being there.These are Q’s words. These are his memories of his brother. I hope you take the time to read them, because this is Nick. This is why we ride.Big Nick’s Ride for the Fallen is about honoring Nick, but it is also about honoring all of our fallen heroes — the 16 brave men and women from Cape Cod who gave their lives during Iraq and Afghanistan, and every American hero who made the ultimate sacrifice.Behind every name is a story. Behind every hero is a family. And behind every sacrifice is a life worth remembering.⸻2026 Big Nick’s Ride for the Fallen XVII RemarksGood morning.Before I begin…I want to thank the Xiarhos family.Thank you for allowing me the honor of standing here today.Thank you to everyone who organized this ride.And thank you to every person who’s here because, seventeen years later, you’ve made sure Nick never became just another name.Seventeen years.That’s a long time.Long enough for children to become adults…For young Marines to become old Marines…For gray hair to replace high-and-tights.But somehow…When I close my eyes…It’s still yesterday.People ask me from time to time…“What was Nick like?”Steve… Lisa…Today, I’d like to answer that question the only way I know how.You raised the little boy.I had the privilege of knowing the man he became.And if you’ll allow me…I’d like to introduce him to you.⸻The first thing you noticed about Nick…Wasn’t his rank.Wasn’t his uniform.It was that grin.You know exactly the one I’m talking about.That big…Ridiculous…Shit-eating grin.Throw in that creeper mustache…And before he’d even said a word…You were already smiling.…I remember standing around Camp Lejeune.Hot.Sweaty.Waiting for word to come down.Nobody talking.Then around the corner comes Nick.Nothing had changed…Except somehow…Everything had.That’s what he did.He made every room better.Not because he tried to.Because that’s simply who he was.⸻He never cared what people thought of him.He wasn’t trying to impress anybody.He wasn’t trying to be funny.He wasn’t trying to be cool.He was just…Nick.Completely genuine.Completely comfortable in his own skin.And because of that…Everybody wanted to be around him.….Leadership is a word we use a lot in the Marine Corps.People think leadership comes from rank.I don’t.Leadership comes from influence.When things got hard…People drifted toward Nick.Because if he wasn’t worried…Maybe everything really was going to be okay.⸻Nick and I became close during our Iraq deployment, after he transferred into my platoon.From that point on…It was X and Q.If you saw one of us…The other usually wasn’t far behind.Somewhere along the way…He stopped being my friend.He became my brother.⸻April 22nd, 2008.Ramadi. IraqEverything changed…His patrol base was hit by a suicide truck carrying two thousand pounds of explosives.I remember getting my squad ready for a patrol when the explosion shook the city and made a huge plume of smoke in the skyI ran to the command post, expecting we’d be sent out as the Quick Reaction Force.Instead…We established the landing zone.That day…We lost brothers.It was the first loss Nick and I carried together.War has a way of making young men grow up overnight.But here’s what amazes me.It never stole who Nick was.Not once…⸻There’s actually a video of this.The Iraqi police started playing music.Most of us just kept working.Nick didn’t.He walked over…Started dancing…And before long…The Iraqi police were laughing.Clapping.Dancing with him.Think about that.In the middle of a war…For a few minutes…Nobody was thinking about war.Only Nick could create a moment like that.⸻Or another memory.Camp Lejeune.Cold rain.Mud everywhere.A miserable week-long field exercise.We walked over to check on him in his fighting hole.He looks up…His whole face painted solid green…Except for his brown lips and eyebrows.He looked absolutely ridiculous.We laughed so hard, we forgot how miserable we were.He couldn’t control the weather.He couldn’t change the mission.But somehow…He always found a way to change how people felt.⸻Then there was roommate Nick.We’d been out all night.Got back around three in the morning.Room inspection in just a couple of hours.We fall asleep.Next thing I know…Katy Perry’s… I Kissed a Girl is blasting through the room.I open my eyes…And there’s Nick…Dancing with a mop like he’s headlining Madison Square Garden.Huge smile.Not a complaint in the world.Just…Living the dream.⸻Honestly…Some of my favorite memories weren’t in combat.They were the days in between.We had our crew.The Wrecking Crew.I had bought a Yukon Denali with deployment money.We joked that it was bought with “that Arab money.”We called that truck…The MPV.The Mobile Party Vehicle.Every weekend…A different city.ECU.Florida State.Savannah.Miami.Appalachian State.New York.Michigan.Didn’t matter.If there was an adventure…Nick was already in the passenger seat.⸻Bringing him to Florida was my favorite.You have to remember…Nick was a Cape Cod kid.Then I’d throw him into the middle of a Latin nightclub in Orlando.Spanish music comes on…He looks at me…Shrugs…And starts dancing.Now…To call what he was doing “dancing”…Would be generous.He had absolutely no rhythm.But he also had absolutely no shame.Five minutes later…He’s surrounded by people acting like they’ve known him for years.Everybody laughing.Everybody smiling.People didn’t remember meeting Nick.They remembered how they felt around him.⸻We used to dream about the future.He was going back to Cape Cod to become a police officer like his dad.I was dreaming up businesses, like I always do.One day, I told him I was going to open a tiki bar on the Cape.We built the whole thing in our heads.The theme.The menu.The music.We never doubted it would work.Because with the two of us behind the bar…How could it not?That was Nick.He believed in people.Sometimes before they believed in themselves.⸻Then Afghanistan happened.Funny enough…It almost never did.Nick and I were both away at leadership courses when we heard that 2/8 needed Marines for an upcoming deployment to Helmand Province.Our battalion was headed for a MEU.A ship.We wanted to serve where we were needed.So we walked into the 2/8 Sergeant Major’s office…And asked him to transfer us.Looking back…It was probably one of the craziest things we’d ever done.A few weeks later…We had new orders.New units.New brothers.Imagine walking into a platoon that had trained together for months…Introduced ourselves…And boarded a plane headed for war.⸻When we landed at Camp Leatherneck…A sandstorm had just rolled through.The air inside the tent was still thick with dust.I looked across and saw a Marine walking toward me.Then I recognized that grin.Nick.He’d already made friends.Of course he had.The second I saw him…I remember thinking…“I’m home, I’m with my brother”⸻It was there…Sitting on a cot…Passing around a satellite phone…That I found out I was going to be a father.Nick sat beside me, helping me think of names.We landed on Alina.My daughter still carries that name today.Then we talked about boys.We landed on Xander.With an X, his initials could be XQ.Xiarhos.Quiceno.But I lost that fight with my wife…So his middle name is Alexander.I’m sure Nick looked down and laughed at that.Without either of us realizing it…Nick became part of my family forever.⸻A few weeks later…We pushed south, deep into Helmand ProvinceDifferent companies.Different missions.The last time I ever saw him…His MRAP rolled up while my squad was on foot patrol.We hugged.Asked how things were going.Same answer we’d always give.“Living the dream.”Then he said…“Hang on.”He climbed into the MRAP…And came back carrying cold bottles of water.Not just for me.For my Marines too.To anybody else…It’s just water.To us…That was gold.Our buddy Dom took a picture of us.That picture…Turned out to be goodbye.Neither one of us knew it.⸻About a week aftet that …I remember another plume of smoke rising into the Afghan sky.Explosions happened all the time.This one…Felt different.I still can’t explain why.No report.No information.Just silence.A few days later…Our platoon finally got the satellite phone.I couldn’t wait to call home.Because I was going to find out if I was having a son or a daughter.My wife answered.The first words she said were…“I’m so sorry about Nick.”…I remember saying…“What do you mean?”How could she know before I did?Nick was here.I had just seen him.A few minutes later…My Executive Officer called me into the command post.He told me they hadn’t realized Nick had passed.If they had…They would’ve told me sooner.It didn’t matter.My brother was gone.July 23rd, 2009.⸻Two plumes of smoke.Fifteen months apart.April 22nd, 2008…Ramadi.July 23rd, 2009…Helmand.The first one…We survived together.The second one…I survived alone.I’ve spent seventeen years thinking about the space between those two dates.And I’ve spent seventeen years thinking about the words that filled it.Living the dream.Most Marines say it with a grin.Usually sarcastically.Not Nick.He meant it.He wasn’t pretending life was easy.He wasn’t pretending war was beautiful.He simply refused to let hardship have the final word.He believed that no matter what life takes from you…No matter how hard today becomes…No one can take away your ability to choose how you show up for other people.Nick chose joy.He chose hope.He chose to make someone else’s burden lighter.Every…Single…Day.⸻SRX… Mama X…If there’s one thing I hope you leave here knowing…It’s this.Your son didn’t just serve beside us.He changed us.He taught us that laughter could exist in a war zone.That terrible dance moves could make strangers into friends.That one cold bottle of water could feel like an act of love.That one smile…Could carry a platoon.Whatever you did raising him…You got it right.Steve…Lisa…That’s the man you raised.That’s the man we were blessed to know.That’s the man we’ll always carry with us.Thank you…For sharing him with us.⸻So today…When these motorcycles leave here…Don’t just remember how Nick died.Remember how he walked into a room.Remember how he made people laugh.Remember how he made impossible days feel possible.Take the road trip.Encourage somebody’s crazy idea.Dance…Even if you’re terrible at it.Walk into a room…And leave it a little brighter than you found it.That’s how Nick lived.That’s how we carry him forward.That’s how we honor him.And that’s what…Living the dream…Really means.Semper Fidelis, brother.…Don’t worry X…. I’m living the dream.⸻Q…Thank you for coming home.Thank you for loving Nick.Thank you for sharing him with all of us.Seventeen years later, you helped the world know the man we were blessed to call our son, our brother, and our friend.It doesn’t get easier.But somehow, you made it better.Semper Fidelis.Keep living the dream, Nick.🇺🇸❤️😢⭐️🙏🏻#RepXBig Nick's Ride for the FallenThe Nicholas G. Xiarhos Memorial FundVeterans CollaborativeU.S. Marine Corps2nd Battalion 8th Marines- Front Toward HeroAmerican Gold Star Mothers, National (Official)Barnstable County Sheriff's OfficeBaskin's Ace HardwareBalise Ford of Cape CodSea Dog Brew Pub- Cape CodCape and Islands Veterans Outreach CenterTaps for VeteransLabyrinth Therapeutic ServicesCape Cod Harley-DavidsonCycle ServicesJonathan QuicenoMassachusetts State PoliceYarmouth Police Dept.Barnstable Police DepartmentBourne Police DepartmentSandwich Police DepartmentCape Cod Regional Motorcycle UnitMarine Corps League Detachment 125 Cape CodBizzy AirMassachusetts Fallen HeroesJarheads MC Cape Cod ... See MoreSee Less

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