Bush meets with Marine's family

The family of Marine Cpl. Jeffrey Starr was waiting in the VIP room at Boeing Field when the doors opened and a familiar man approached.

"Hello, I'm George W. Bush," said the president, and gave a hug to Starr's mother, Shellie Starr, of Snohomish.

President Bush often meets with the families of the fallen, but this was something special.

Before he was killed last year at age 22, Jeffrey Starr wrote a letter to his fiancée, predicting his death and saying it would be for a noble cause. Bush quoted from the letter in a speech he delivered to the U.S. Naval Academy six months after Starr died.

On Friday, Bush told Starr's parents that he had a hard time reading the letter, said Jeffrey's father, Brian Starr.

"He was very supportive of us, and we were supportive of him," he said.

With only an aide hovering by the door, the president shared 20 minutes with the Starr family, telling them about his recent visit to Baghdad, where he met with Iraqi political leaders and U.S. troops.

He also exchanged family stories with the Starrs, who were accompanied by their two daughters and Starr's fiancée, Emmylyn Anonical.

After posing for few pictures, Bush and the family exchanged God-bless-yous, and then he walked the tarmac to Air Force One.

"It was a nice experience," Brian Starr said. "Unfortunately, it came at a very high cost."

Alex Fryer: 206-464-8124 or afryer@seattletimes.com