LEFT
the Toombs County Courthouse. ABOVE TOP
ABOVE BOTTOM
He served in the Infantry during
the Persian Gulf War, Desert Shield,
and Desert Storm. One of his most
unforgettable experiences while a
Marine was an accidental night sleep
in a mine field. “A whole battalion of
about 5,000 Marines woke up to find
that we had dug holes for ‘fighting
position’ in a minefield. It was so dark
the night before that you couldn’t see
your hand in front of your face. An
explosive ordinance disposal (EOD)
team had to come in and clear a path
and disarm the mines so we could get
out safely. It was amazing that all of
us got out alive.”
Elliot finished his time of service
in the Marines in 1994 but continued
to serve with the Georgia National
Guard in Lyons in the eight years
that followed. During that time,
he also began a career in Law
Enforcement serving with the Vidalia
Police Department, the Toombs
County Sheriff’s Department, and
the Glennville Police Department
before returning to the Vidalia Police
Department in 2008.
On December 12, 2012, Elliot
and his wife Carolyn celebrated as
they finalized the adoption of their
three children. “We married in 2006
but weren’t able to have children
for unknown reasons. We thought
about adoption, and then someone
suggested that we become foster
parents first. We prayed and asked
God to send us some kids. When
Haileigh, Alex, and Mark came to us,
we knew immediately that we wanted
them to be our children.”
In December 2013, a year after the
adoption of his children, Elliot first
noticed the pain. He assumed it was
the result of a back injury caused by a
lifting exercise. When home treatment
offered no relief, he figured he’d better
see a doctor. “I assumed it was a
14 Toombs County Magazine