Texas Man Fighting To Get Friend's Ashes Back After TSA Confiscates Them

A former Army specialist in Killeen, Texas, is worried that he lost his best friend for the second time.

George Tirado was traveling through security at the LaGuardia airport in New York on April 23 when an agent flagged Tirado's necklace.

The necklace is a replica bullet with an American flag on the outside. Inside were ashes of Sgt. First Class Richard Martin, Tirado's best friend, mentor, and best man at his wedding.

Martin was also Tirado's platoon sergeant in Afghanistan. The two men remained close until the day Martin died in 2019. Martin took his own life after struggling with PTSD following six combat tours.

In honor of Martin, Tirado wore his ashes around his neck.

"It is the most priceless item I possess," Tirado told KCEN. 

Tirado said he's flown multiple times with the necklace and never had any issues, except during his most recent trip. The TSA agent at LaGuardia told him that the bullet was a replica and could be confiscated.

Tirado told the agent and the agent's supervisor about what the fake bullet really was, but they said he either had to give it up or put it in a checked bag.

With only 20 minutes until his flight, the former solider had to leave the necklace behind.

"The only thing that kept me composed, was the thought that my wife and daughter were waiting for me at the gate. I felt like this was so wrong. I would have missed that flight. Even though I didn't have insurance on the flight I would have missed it had I been able to," Tirado said.

Now, Tirado is fighting to get Martin's ashes back. He's filed a complaint against TSA but has not heard back.

KCEN contacted the agency on his behalf and was told that TSA either disposes of items left behind or gives them to the State Agencies for Surplus Property, where they are resold.

There's no easy way for Tirado to get back the replica bullet, but he said he's asking members of Congress for help.

Photo: Getty Images