thedrifter
09-10-09, 11:06 AM
Marine mom won't forget, or let us do so
by E. J. Montini - Sept. 9, 2009 09:19 PM
The Arizona Republic
I hadn't spoken to Margy Bons for over a year. But when she sent me a message last week, I answered. I owe her that much. We all owe her that much.
After some friendly chitchat about work and the weather, she said, "You know, we hardly hear about the wars anymore. The media doesn't even make much of a story when we lose someone. Why do you think that is?"
I could have said that Iraq and Afghanistan aren't the only issues. There is health care.
Immigration. The economy. All of which is true.
But it doesn't answer her question. The sad fact is that it's easy for those of us without someone serving in military to put the war and its horrors out of our minds.
Forgetting is a luxury.
Most of us have it. Margy Bons does not.
Not since May 8, 2005, Mother's Day, when two stoic, ramrod-straight Marines knocked on her front door.
She described that moment to me for a previous column, saying, "When my son (Marine Sgt. Michael Marzano) volunteered (for Iraq duty) I somehow knew it would be a one-way deployment. I would stand at the mirror and rehearse what I would say when the Marines came knocking on my door. Then they knocked and I tried to convince them that they were wrong, that Michael had promised me that he would come back. But he wasn't coming back, and I had to figure out a reason to get up every morning. And I have."
Since the death of her son, Margy has become the Arizona chapter president for Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the families of troops serving overseas, as well as those who return wounded.
The group provides school supplies for kids. Members repair and replace appliances. They sometimes even provide vehicles. They send packages to troops overseas. They attend ceremonies in which troops are deployed and in which troops return. They arrange for volunteer families to "adopt" military families at Christmastime, providing gifts, meals and whatever's necessary.
At the bottom of each e-mail that Margy sends is a quote that reads: "I may look harmless . . . but I raised a Marine."
On Friday, Operation Homefront will host Arizona's version of the 2009 Freedom Walk to commemorate the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. It will be held at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix at 6 p.m. and include a host of speakers and performers.
"We're really excited about the event," Margy told me. "It's a solemn occasion, yes, but I believe that it will be a very positive, very upbeat gathering. It's all about remembering what happened, honoring those who were lost and, you know, continuing to walk the walk."
It's what Margy does every day.
She carries business cards wherever she goes, handing one to any service member she sees. The cards thank them for their service.
At an airport once, she handed a card to a mature-looking command sergeant major from the Army named Jeffrey Mellinger.
He got some media attention a while back as the last draftee from the Vietnam era who still served in the Army.
"We had a good conversation and after he found out about my son, he took out his laptop and showed me photographs from Haditha, where Michael served," Margy said. "We still keep in touch. He usually calls me every year . . . around Mother's Day."
That day, like every day, Margy is busy reminding the rest of us of the sacrifices still being made on our behalf.
She won't quit. Not ever.
"I can't," she told me. "I want my son to be proud of me."
Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8978.
Reach Operation Homefront at 602-246-6429.
Ellie
by E. J. Montini - Sept. 9, 2009 09:19 PM
The Arizona Republic
I hadn't spoken to Margy Bons for over a year. But when she sent me a message last week, I answered. I owe her that much. We all owe her that much.
After some friendly chitchat about work and the weather, she said, "You know, we hardly hear about the wars anymore. The media doesn't even make much of a story when we lose someone. Why do you think that is?"
I could have said that Iraq and Afghanistan aren't the only issues. There is health care.
Immigration. The economy. All of which is true.
But it doesn't answer her question. The sad fact is that it's easy for those of us without someone serving in military to put the war and its horrors out of our minds.
Forgetting is a luxury.
Most of us have it. Margy Bons does not.
Not since May 8, 2005, Mother's Day, when two stoic, ramrod-straight Marines knocked on her front door.
She described that moment to me for a previous column, saying, "When my son (Marine Sgt. Michael Marzano) volunteered (for Iraq duty) I somehow knew it would be a one-way deployment. I would stand at the mirror and rehearse what I would say when the Marines came knocking on my door. Then they knocked and I tried to convince them that they were wrong, that Michael had promised me that he would come back. But he wasn't coming back, and I had to figure out a reason to get up every morning. And I have."
Since the death of her son, Margy has become the Arizona chapter president for Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the families of troops serving overseas, as well as those who return wounded.
The group provides school supplies for kids. Members repair and replace appliances. They sometimes even provide vehicles. They send packages to troops overseas. They attend ceremonies in which troops are deployed and in which troops return. They arrange for volunteer families to "adopt" military families at Christmastime, providing gifts, meals and whatever's necessary.
At the bottom of each e-mail that Margy sends is a quote that reads: "I may look harmless . . . but I raised a Marine."
On Friday, Operation Homefront will host Arizona's version of the 2009 Freedom Walk to commemorate the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. It will be held at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix at 6 p.m. and include a host of speakers and performers.
"We're really excited about the event," Margy told me. "It's a solemn occasion, yes, but I believe that it will be a very positive, very upbeat gathering. It's all about remembering what happened, honoring those who were lost and, you know, continuing to walk the walk."
It's what Margy does every day.
She carries business cards wherever she goes, handing one to any service member she sees. The cards thank them for their service.
At an airport once, she handed a card to a mature-looking command sergeant major from the Army named Jeffrey Mellinger.
He got some media attention a while back as the last draftee from the Vietnam era who still served in the Army.
"We had a good conversation and after he found out about my son, he took out his laptop and showed me photographs from Haditha, where Michael served," Margy said. "We still keep in touch. He usually calls me every year . . . around Mother's Day."
That day, like every day, Margy is busy reminding the rest of us of the sacrifices still being made on our behalf.
She won't quit. Not ever.
"I can't," she told me. "I want my son to be proud of me."
Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8978.
Reach Operation Homefront at 602-246-6429.
Ellie