JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In this week's "Stories of Service", we have an update on how the daughter of a fallen hero is carrying on his legacy.
In April, we spoke with Abbie Chalfant. Her father, Navy Lieutenant Commander Michael D. Chalfant died on September 10th, 2002 when the navy jet he was in crashed off the coast of Puerto Rico.
Abbie's father was preparing for a deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Abbie was just shy of her third birthday.
"He was the most loving and devoted dad and husband. He was the funniest prankster. He was the biggest animal person and a huge book nerd. He's just the most amazing man," Abbie Chalfant said in an April interview.
In June, Abbie and other gold star children went to Washington D.C. with the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation to have a voice in the memorial that will honor their fathers and mothers killed in the line of duty. First Coast News Anchor Anthony Austin spoke with her when she returned to Jacksonville.
"We got to look at all the possible locations that the memorial will be built and they asked us for our input. So, that was a really special opportunity."
The Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation was formed in 2015. The memorial will honor those who served and sacrificed as part of global counterterrorism operations since September 11th. It will be entirely funded by donations.
Abbie said she enjoyed being around others who understood her story.
"To be able to share my dad's story with them and learn about their parents was a really special opportunity. We really bonded with one another and found a way to heal through sharing our stories."
If you have a story of service to share, just email us at storiesofservice@firstcoastnews.com