Methacton Grad Killed In Afghanistan In '09 Receives Apex Award

LOWER PROVIDENCE, PA — When Nikki Krelovich made the announcement, there was no hesitation.

Without pause, the entire Methacton School Board and everyone attending the meeting offered up an instant round of applause.

Learning that 1997 Methacton graduate Marc Small was named as the recipient of the alumni award at the upcoming Methacton Apex Awards came as a surprise to no one. After all, Small, who died fighting for his country 12 years ago, was a beloved member of his home community.

“He joined the United States Army Special Forces after graduation, and he gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country when he was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2009,” Krelovich, executive director of the Methacton Education Foundation, told the school board at its July 27 meeting.

A Calling

Small was 29 when he was killed after coming under enemy fire back on Feb. 12, 2009 while on combat reconnaissance patrol in Afghanistan.

He was a Special Forces medical sergeant who had joined the Army in 2004. His mom, Mary MacFarland, said Small was very affected by the attacks on 9/11 and decided to enlist.

“It’s something he felt strongly about,” MacFarland told Patch in an interview. “He felt that pull to help his country.”

MacFarland remembers the day the two had the conversation about Small deciding to join the military. They were walking along the beach together in Florida.

“My heart just kind of sank,” she said. “He said, ‘mom, I’m not afraid. And I’m not afraid to die.”

MacFarland said in addition to his patriotism, Small always had a smile on his face, he was loyal to a fault, and he always worked hard for the things he wanted in life.

A Life Honored

The first year following his death, Small’s family was on a trip to North Carolina when his sister brought up the idea of doing something positive to memorialize her brother, MacFarland said. That’s when the On Your Marc 5K Run was born.

“The last thing he would have wanted was for all of us to be so sad,” MacFarland said.

The initial goal was to raise $5,000 that first year of the run – they ended up taking in $25,000.

“It was just a great community event,” MacFarland said. “It was a good event for everyone.”

This year’s event is taking place this week, with the final day on Sunday Aug. 8.

Since the 5K was born, Marc has also been memorialized in myriad other ways. One was through the Methacton United Soccer Club, which holds a tournament each year to raise money for one boy, and one girl, soccer player. The winners each receive a $2,500 soccer scholarship in honor of Small, an avid soccer player. Thus far, the club has given out close to $50,000 in scholarship money, MacFarland said.

And then there is Small Steps In Speech, an organization started by Small’s then-fiancé, Amanda Charney Berardi, a professional speech and language pathologist. Small, who came up with the name of the organization, (his last name was the play on words in the title), brainstormed the idea while he was still alive.

Now, more than a decade after his death, Small is honored through that organization’s dedication to helping families with children suffering from speech and language disabilities.

MacFarland said the organization has been awarding grants to deserving families since 2010, a year after its formation. It has since given out more than $1.5 million in grants to children all over the country.

Today, MacFarland serves as the president of Small Steps In Speech. She said if her son was around today, he would be proud of all the good work being done in his name.

“There has been a lot of good in the community to come out of his passing,” MacFarland said. “It means a lot to us to know that he didn’t die in vain.”

MacFarland said it was the local Methacton community that helped her get through the difficult times, especially those first weeks, months and year after Small’s passing.

She feels honored that Methacton has decided to recognize Small for all of his accomplishments with the upcoming Apex Award.

“It’s really great to have all these kids in the Methacton School District know who Marc was,” she said.

‘A Great Friend’

One close friend from growing up, John Peirce, recalls Small as a likeable classmate who shared many common interests. The two met when Small’s family moved into the neighborhood when the boys were in fifth grade.

Peirce, who now lives in Chester County with his own family, said the two worked their way up through school sports together, and ended up forming a strong bond.

“Marc was a great friend,” Peirce told Patch in an interview. “He was caring, he was fun to be around. He was always up for an adventure.”

The two eventually ended up traveling Europe together for a few weeks after graduating from high school.

“We were pretty inseparable for a lot of those years,” Peirce said. “I truly value his friendship.”

Another former friend remembers Small as just a funny, cool, quirky guy who left a lasting impression on folks.

“Marc was a great guy,” fellow 1997 Methacton grad Kevin Panetta told Patch. “He was very shy, but one day in high school he randomly came up to me and told me we were brothers. I was caught off guard and he told me our parents used to date when they were in high school, so it forever became an inside joke and we always referred to each other as brothers.”

The Methacton Apex Awards will be held on Sept. 30 at the Blue Bell Country Club. The event has been taking place since 2019. The organization that puts on the event, the Methacton Education Foundation, raises private dollars to help fund innovative educational programs for Methacton students, according to Marge Martinez, a former school board member who championed Small’s cause at the foundation.

Martinez said through the years, the foundation has awarded more than $400,000 in grants within the Methacton community.