When Marine Corps veteran Preston Davenport thinks of his late friend Josh Dumaw, the memories cascade — of dirt roads, country music and a battered old truck that carried more than just two men. It carried a bond forged in service and sacrifice.
Josh Dumaw, from Washington State, was more than a fellow Marine to Preston, a South Carolina native. He was a brother. On June 22, 2010, while serving together in Afghanistan, Josh was killed by an improvised explosive device.
“I lost my best friend,” Davenport told The Citizen.
Their last conversation was filled with the kind of back-and-forth only brothers share. They argued over who would carry the metal detector that day, teasing each other as always. Then Josh turned to Preston and said, “I’ve got a son to carry on my name.”
That son, Bodie, was born shortly after Josh’s death — a child who never met his father and knows him only through photos and the tearful recollections of those he left behind.
After the tragedy, Preston’s life took unexpected turns. He married Josh’s widow’s sister and moved to Washington State, becoming a de facto uncle to Bodie. From the boy’s earliest days, Preston stepped into the voice Josh never had a chance to fill — taking him fishing, spending time together, keeping a promise to his fallen friend.
In 2019, Preston relocated to Orlando, Florida, launching a home repair business, PD Home Pros. A year later, Josh’s mother and Bodie moved to be near him. Just recently, the entire crew moved to the Old City.
Throughout the years, Preston held onto Josh’s 2000 Dodge Dakota Sport — a weathered truck that sat mostly idle but remained a powerful symbol of their friendship. “We would drive dirt roads together, blasting country music and just cruising,” Preston recalls.
Recently, Bodie, now 14, made a passing comment about the old vehicle — and in that moment, Preston assigned himself a mission. He decided to restore the vehicle so Bodie could one day drive the same vehicle his father once did.
The truck, however, needs serious work — engine repairs, drivetrain and cooling system upgrades, new tires, bodywork, paint, and interior restoration.
So Preston quietly launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the restoration. To his amazement, donations poured in swiftly, coming from former Marines who served with Josh, family members, and even strangers moved by the story.
As of Friday, it had raised more than $5,000 — a solid start.
“I was surprised how much money it raised so quickly,” Preston said. The support brought tears to everyone involved. “It feels like a good way for Bodie to be with his dad, in a way.”
For Preston, this project is about more than fixing a truck. It’s about honoring a friend, a brother, a hero, and giving his son a piece of that past to carry into the future.
