TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Less than one percent of Americans serve in the military. Some of them make the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedoms. And their families carry the burden of that sacrifice for the rest of their lives.
In this Two Americas, we will hear from two mothers who want to share what they've learned living in their America.
Staff Sgt. Darrel D. Kasson was killed in action March 4th 2007 in Iraq. His mom, Sheron Jones, President of the Gold Star Mothers Tucson chapter says he was killed after 20 years in the military.
82nd Airborn Army sniper Christopher Moon was killed just after the 4th of July, 2010 in Afghanistan.
His mother Marsha Moon says her son always said "When I grow up I want to be a sniper."
These men lost their lives for this country. Both are from Tucson, and both have mothers who grieve for them everyday.
"I put a lot of trust and hope in our faith and I would say God picked us up and carried us through this, says Marsha Moon. Marsha tells us it was faith - and a community of veterans that helped her family carry on.
"I know he told the guys that they need to look out for us and they do. I say I lost one son but I gained many sons because of him." ~ Marsha Moon
She also found support in the American Gold Star Mothers organization.
"I knew my loss wasn't the only loss and I could kind of step back and see the big picture," said Marsha.
That's where she met Sheron Jones, who joined after Darrel's death.
Sheron Jones is the President of American Gold Star Mothers Tucson Chapter. She tells KGUN 9, "It probably saved my life. I was pretty down, but just meeting them and listening to their stories and getting together with them, you realize you can go on."
Both mothers agree it's a club no one wants to become a member of. And they say it's a small segment of America that many people don't think about very often.
"Everyone thinks we're free, but somebody paid the price for that freedom." ~Sheron Jones
Sheron and Marsha want people to know thanking a veteran shouldn't be reserved for a couple holidays a year and they hope more of America can learn to understand their point of view.
"I can walk outside and be thankful. And I know where that freedom comes from. It's from those men and women and not just them, but their families who make those sacrifices to want to serve our country," said Marsha.
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