JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Many times our Stories of Service focus on members of the military who wear the uniforms of our armed forces. This week, our Story of Service focuses on a woman who makes it her mission to make sure family members of service members are remembered when their loved ones don't come home from deployment.
There was no game being played, but on September 24, Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena lived up to its title.
One by one their name was called; a list no mother ever wanted to be on. The last Sunday of September is Gold Star Mothers and Families Day, a day to honor and remember.
"It means a lot to me," said Sue Reynolds, "it shows them that we still honor them, we still remember their child."
Family members were greeted by pictures of some of their loved ones. More than 20 Gold Star Mothers from the Jacksonville area were recognized and given a Gold Star Banner to signify the death of their child in service to our country.
This day is personal for Reynolds.
"Military family, my dad was a Marine, my husband was Air Force, my son who passed was in the Air Force, I have a son who is in the Army," said Reynolds, who is the 1st Vice President of the First Coast Blue Star Mothers. She's also a Gold Star Mother and a widow of a Vietnam War veteran.
"My husband passed, this is my way of honoring him and honoring my son is to do this for Gold Star families as a Blue Star mother doing this for Gold Star families," said Reynolds.
Each of the Gold Star families was presented with a copy of a proclamation from Congressman Aaron Bean, which was originally read to the House of Representatives.
No mother wants to be in this group, they'd rather have their child, but Reynolds and the rest of the First Coast Blue Star Mothers will continue to honor Gold Star Families.
"As long as we can," said Reynolds, "as long as I'm alive, as long as we can get the funds, as long as these Gold Star families will attend, we'll keep doing it, we have to."
More information about the First Coast Blue Star Mothers can be found here.
If you have a Story of Service that you would like us to profile, send us an email to storiesofservice@firstcoastnews.com