Although a hero’s welcome awaited a returning U.S. Marine from unincorporated Downers Grove, his thoughts remained on fellow Marines overseas.

Marine Lance Cpl. Jared Malinski returned home after serving in Afghanistan for the past several months.

Along with Malinski’s parents, Beth and Michael, and his brothers, a horde of bikers with the troop support group Warriors’ Watch paraded through the family’s Bruce Lake subdivision Saturday evening.

“As much as I appreciate being honored and making it through that deployment, some of the guys who couldn’t come home should be honored more so,” Malinski said.

Malinski, 20, said the welcoming party was unexpected as his family kept it a surprise.

Richard Loyd, a founding member of Warriors’ Watch, said the group provides motorcycle escorts for soldiers returning home from tours as well as send-offs.

“We got their backs,” Loyd said. “They are heroes and they deserve to be treated that way.”

Loyd, of Crystal Lake, said Warriors’ Watch also holds fundraisers for families of soldiers who are in need. About 30 members of Warriors’ Watch welcomed Malinski home Saturday.

A 2006 graduate of Downers Grove South High School, Malinski was deployed to Afghanistan seven months ago. He said his duties as a Marine involved keeping track of where supplies were, such as vehicles and weapons.

Beth Malinski said following the parade, about 170 people came to their home for a party.

“The Warriors’ Watch riders were incredible. It was unbelievable how these volunteers could rally that many bikers together to volunteer their time for people they don’t even know,” Beth Malinski said. “I was really humbled that they would do something like that for our family. Between the tears and not wanting to miss anything, it was a really moving experience.”

Although nothing is for certain, Malinski said he expects to be deployed again next summer — possibly back to Afghanistan.

Until then, Malinski said he’s going to take a break from the rigid schedule he’s followed throughout the past several months.

“I’m going to fly by the seat of my pants,” Malinski said.