Staten Island, NY, April 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- April 5 is Gold Star Spouses Day, a day to remember and honor the surviving spouses of service members who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is observing Gold Star Spouses Day by announcing it has provided mortgage-free homes to five Gold Star families the families of:
- U.S. Army Sergeant LaDavid Johnson, Parrish, Florida
- U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Omar Forde, Kennesaw, Georgia
- U.S. Marine Corps Captain John Sax, Lincoln, California
- U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Dennis Veater, Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania
- U.S. Navy Lieutenant Paul Fridley, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Army Sergeant LaDavid Johnson was shot and killed when he was ambushed by ISIS in Niger on October 4, 2017. He is survived by his wife, Myeshia, and his three children.
On December 17, 2013, Army Sergeant First Class Omar Forde was killed when his helicopter was brought down by enemy fire in Afghanistan. He left behind his wife, Megan, and their two sons.
Receiving her home on Gold Star Spouses Day is a beautiful tribute to her husband. “It really lets me know that I am not alone and that Omar is not forgotten. It’s so amazing for my boys to get to see how many people are grateful for their father’s sacrifice,” said Megan Forde.
Marine Corps Captain John Sax was killed when his Osprey went down during a training exercise in Southern California on June 8, 2022. He left behind his wife, Amber, who was pregnant with their second daughter at the time of his passing.
Marine Corps Lance Corporal Dennis James Veater was killed in action on March 9, 2007, while conducting combat operations and delivering medical supplies in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. Veater was scheduled to return home to his family the next day. He left behind his fiancée, Angalene, and their son, Dominick, who was only 14 months old when his father was killed.
Navy Lieutenant Paul Fridley lost his life on August 31, 2021, after his aircraft crashed while conducting flight operations off of the USS Abraham Lincoln in San Diego. He left behind his pregnant wife, Sarah, who gave birth to their son Paul six months after his death.
This is “an incredible affirmation that I am not alone in this journey as a Gold Star Spouse, and that I, and my son, will continue to be supported for the rest of our lives,” said Sarah Fridley.
The Tunnel to Towers Gold Star Family Home Program honors the legacy of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country by paying off the mortgage or providing the surviving spouses and young children with mortgage-free homes.
“Today, we honor the memory of all the husbands and wives who lost their lives serving this great country. When a brave hero signs up to serve, their whole family serves alongside them. Tunnel to Towers recognizes the surviving spouses of fallen soldiers, who fill the roles of two parents while working tirelessly to keep their loved ones' memories alive,” said Frank Siller, Chairman & CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
Join the Tunnel to Towers Foundation on our mission to provide mortgage-free homes to the families of these American heroes by visiting T2T.org and donating $11 per month.
About the Tunnel to Towers Foundation
Born from the tragedy of 9/11, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation carries out its mission to “do good,” by providing mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen first responder families with young children and by building specially-adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders. Tunnel to Towers is also committed to eradicating veteran homelessness and helping America Never Forget September 11, 2001. Visit T2T.org to learn more. Follow Tunnel to Towers on Facebook and Twitter.
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