Sen. Marco Rubio invites Oviedo native to SOTU

OVIEDO, Fla. — An Oviedo native whose father was killed in the line of duty as an Army reservist was chosen to be Sen. Marco Rubio’s special guest at the State of the Union address on Tuesday, Channel 9 learned.

Conner MacFarlane grew up in Oviedo and just finished his first semester at Seminole State College.

He’s currently living in Orlando.

His father was killed in Afghanistan when MacFarlane was 15 years old.

As an Eagle Scout project, he started a program in coordination with the Fallen Floridians’ Memorial Cross Tribute to honor late veterans.

The group lays wreaths on the crosses marking the graves of Floridians who were killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.

MacFarlane has received multiple awards for his work to pay tribute to fallen veterans.

In 2013, he was named “Our Military Kid of the Year” for following through with plans he made with his father before deployment.

Five days after going to Dover Air Force Base to receive his father’s remains, MacFarlane went to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico and climbed 11,000 feet. He held an American flag and photo of his late father when he reached the top.

Rubio had a flag flown over the Capitol and sent to MacFarlane in honor of MacFarlane’s accomplishment.

WFTV