Martyred US Sgt Declan Coady was an Eagle Scout who helped homeless youth: 'His impact was great'

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA: Sgt Declan Coady, the youngest American soldier killed in the recent Kuwait drone strike, was a 20-year-old Eagle Scout who dedicated his life to helping homeless youth. 

Even before enlisting in the Army, the Des Moines native was known for his devotion to serving others. 

Sgt. Declan Coady's journey as a scout

Coady earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 2020, a title held by only 4% of scouts, by focusing his energy on helping needy people. 

For his Eagle Project, he led a team to build 12 Adirondack chairs for the Iowa Homeless Youth Centers (IHYC) to provide comfort to youth in need. 

His former scout master, Paul O’Connell, remembered his motivation, saying, “He had a special place in his heart for kids, you know, understanding that there were kids out there that don’t have the opportunities that he does.”

“He was doing everything he could to help. He did more merit badges than any other kid I know and a lot of them were community oriented,” O’Connell added.

Coady was known for going above and beyond for others

His dedication to the homeless center did not stop with his official project, as he and his brother later returned to build storage shelves in the basement. 

Austin Neal, a coordinator at the center, noted that the impact of his work was lasting, as many of the chairs were given to people moving into permanent housing.

“His impact was great,” Neal stated. 

In high school, Coady earned a "silver cord" for completing over 100 hours of community service, proving that helping others was his top priority. 

His friend Jacob Brown, who helped with the chair project, remembered him as a natural leader who was always the first to step up, saying, “He was always nice, he was always helpful. Anytime anyone had a problem or a question, he was always one of the first people to help out.” 

“He had his whole life ahead of him,” Brown said, adding, “I know a lot of people will miss him.”

National Eagle Scout Association's tribute to Coady

Furthermore, The National Eagle Scout Association also shared a tribute to Coady on Facebook, recognizing his contributions as both a scout and a soldier.

They wrote, “Through scouting, school and military service, Declan made a difference in his community in a short amount of time.” 

Even as a soldier, his community remembers him as a helper first, with his GoFundMe page stating, “Declan was more than a soldier — he was a son, a family member, a friend, and a light in the lives of those who knew him.”