A message from a stranger hundreds of miles away nearly brought tears to the eyes of Kristi Mann of Mineral Wells.
On a Web site memorializing Mann's brother-in-law who died in Iraq in 2003, someone in Florida wrote: "Today I received a bracelet with James Powell's name engraved on it. I will wear it with pride, remembering always that he died for me. HE IS NOT FORGOTTEN."
After reading the account, Mann ordered seven of the bracelets for her family.
Powell was an Army specialist who's one of thousands of fallen U-S service members memorialized on Hero Bracelets. Others around the country have rushed to buy the bracelets as well -- so much so that a thousand requests a day were coming in just before Christmas.
The Austin man who sells them -- Chris Greta -- had to quit taking orders on his Web site. For now, he only fills orders that arrive in the mail, although he's hoping to get Web sales going again in January.