Marine sends ice statue home for Christmas

NEW YORK, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- A U.S. Marine stationed in Afghanistan arranged to have a 7-foot statue of himself, sculpted in ice, made for his sister's 11th birthday.

Neil Bucken, 27, a 1st lieutenant, has been in the Marines for two years and in Afghanistan for the past nine months. He made arrangements long distance with Nuzzolese Brothers Ice Corp. in Hicksville, N.Y., the New York Post reported.

His sister, Sullivan, said she was thrilled when the ice statue arrived at a relative's house in Staten Island.

"I was telling him that all I wanted for my birthday and Christmas was him, so he was thinking how to make that possible," Sullivan told the Post. "It's so sweet."

Vincent Nuzzolese said when he found out where Bucken was he supplied the statue for free. Normally, he said, one that large and elaborate would cost about $1,000.

"It was a given as soon as I got the phone call -- I said this is something I want to do," Nuzzolese said. "It's a special Christmas for us on this end, too, that we could help somebody else like this."