Sadly, 26-year-old Lt. Manion of Doylestown was killed in Iraq in 2007 helping to rescue wounded members of his Marine unit.
Brendan took it hard. He told Janet Manion he was dedicating his grueling training to become a Navy SEAL to Travis' memory and even gave her his prized SEAL trident.
So when the Manion's found out last week that Lt. Looney was one of 9 troops killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan, the grief was almost too much.
"It was like reliving it all over again," Janet said.
In the shock after Travis Manion's death, his family buried him at Calvary Cemetery in West Conshohocken. But he had told his sister before he deployed that if anything happened to him he really wanted to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. That's where Brendan Looney is being laid to rest on Monday.
So the Manion's are taking the extraordinary step of having their son's remains moved to Arlington so the best friends can be buried side-by-side.
"It feels like Travis' wish is being granted and what better way than for him to be next to Brendan," said Ryan Manion-Borek, Travis' sister.
"If he's got to be away from me I know he's there with one of his best buds," said Janet.
Brendan's widow Amy suggested the idea.
Travis' remains will be buried during a small ceremony at Arlington on Friday so he'll be there when Brendan comes.
Bonded in brotherhood through the military both killed fighting for their country their families are sure this is what Travis and Brendan would have wanted to be together in life and side-by-side in death.
