In 2002, Mary Moreno’s life changed forever in ways she could not imagine. “My 18-year-old son came to us and told us he was going to join the Marines. My husband said to him, ‘Kenny, we can’t even get you to mow the yard.’”
A Soldier’s Mom During the War on Terror
In the days following Sept. 11, 2001, news coverage about terrorism was ubiquitous. “In the early parts of the war, every time you turned around, it was on TV, it was in the newspapers, people were talking about it in the grocery stores and the restaurants, you couldn’t escape it, because it was there right in your face,” she said. “[Kenny] became a Marine sniper. And because I didn’t come from military, I had no clue what journey I was now on. I just became so withdrawn.”“As a mom, I couldn’t handle it,” she said. “Men are totally different. Dads are totally different than moms. ... We had properties 20 miles away that needed to be cleared, so my husband would go do that to relieve his anxiety. Me? I stayed in, I had my phone in my pocket, I slept with my phone under my pillow.”
She continued, “For six months, I had no clue where my son was. I had an emotional breakdown. I couldn’t handle it. I was just scared to death every time the phone rang, you know? The media did this to us, because that’s all you saw—there was nothing positive. I stayed in my house, and if a car drove up, I peeked to the side because you’re deadly afraid somebody’s gonna knock on your door and tell you that your son or daughter has been KIA. My husband would say, ‘I’m out, I don’t want to be in that situation. I don’t want to be there, having an emotional breakdown.’”
Ms. Moreno became depressed and ended up in a hospital for 45 days. “My daughter, Stephanie Guerrero, had just won the title of Miss Texas, USA, and was running for Miss USA. She came to the hospital and she said, “Mama, you got to fight, you have got to want to live, you have got to want to come out of this hole that you’re in.” She told me to be an inspiration for others. She said, ‘You can do this.’ I'll never forget her words.”
Building Resilience and Standing Strong
Wanting to share her story, Ms. Moreno contacted her local newspaper, The Brazosport Facts, in Lake Jackson, Texas. “They came out and did an article for the Sunday edition,” she said. “And at the time, it was just me talking about my fears and saying I wanted to meet other families that were feeling the way I was feeling.”Helping the Troops
“The best time of the day for our troops is mail call,” she told The Epoch Times. “Letters from home and care packages from loved ones remind them that they haven’t been forgotten. We send letters, care packages, and comfort items to American service members deployed overseas and the National Guardsmen at the Texas–Mexico border, and we support their families here at home.”
The packages are designed to delight. They are jammed full of snacks, socks, sunblock, toothpaste, granola bars, drink mixes, towels, personal care items, and other supplies that are needed by the soldiers, but in short supply. “Each package costs us $35 to fill, and then $18.40 to ship. We are a nonprofit group: 100 percent of our funds come from donations and we rely on volunteers to pack and ship everything,” she said.
Those stationed at the Texas–Mexico border have expressed gratitude for the care packages, which give them a “morale boost,” Ms. Moreno said. “They asked for snacks, some sports drinks, and ice sheets—100 percent cotton twin sheets they put in ice. The temperature at the border is 115 degrees, so heatstroke is a real concern.” Soldiers wrap themselves in the ice sheets to cool down.
Ms. Moreno and her volunteers now make regular trips to Eagle Pass, Del Rio, Laredo, Rio Grande City, Edinburg, Elsa, and other towns along the border. It’s often a six-hour or longer drive each way. “We rent a van and bring them cases of Gatorade, snacks, and toiletry bags for men and women,” she said.
Support Through Grief and Hard Times
In addition to sending care packages, Military Moms and Wives also provides support for family members. “I have been to so many funerals throughout the years,” Ms. Moreno began. “We had a volunteer that would come help us pack boxes. She was a soldier, and both she and her boyfriend had deployed at the same time, but in different units. She got to come home, but he was redeployed. She told me he did not want to go. And I remember she would come in here and work with us packing boxes. She was probably about 22 years old.”
Ms. Moreno continued, “One day in 2004 she told me he called her and said, ‘I don’t want to be here.’ She said to him, ‘Hey, you only have a few more months.’ Her boyfriend was in Iraq, a truck driver who was taking supplies to a bad zone while he had her on speakerphone. They were talking, and he told her to hold on a second. He goes, ‘There’s a truck that’s pulled over with a flat tire. Hold on, I’m just gonna make sure that he’s OK.’ She’s waiting for him to come back to the phone, when she heard an explosion. He never came back to the phone. He was killed in the explosion.”
Little Things Make a Big Difference
In many cases, family members of servicemen learn about Military Moms and Wives via articles in newspapers, or interviews with Ms. Moreno on television. Others meet her while she is out shopping for products or when she attends civic events in and around Angleton, seeking volunteers and donations for her 501(c)(3) organization.Justin Gambino’s mother met Ms. Moreno while he was serving in Iraq as a Navy Seabee, and she added his name to her list of recipients.
He told The Epoch Times what it was like to receive a package: “When we would have our morning meetings, they would say, ‘Hey, Gambino, you got a package at the mailroom.’ Opening the care package was amazing. It was a total surprise. I had no idea it was coming. Seeing that it came from my hometown made me miss home.”
“But it also made me feel appreciated,” he said. “It made me feel important, made me feel loved. And it gave me hope to just hang on to the next day, because that’s how you operate over there—just one day at a time until you got back home. Over there, some days, you just want to give up. You’re just like, ‘Oh, we’re getting mortared again, so it’s my time. I don’t care.’ You can grow that kind of mentality. But the box of socks and snacks and good stuff made me feel loved and important. It gave me a reason to just keep pushing forward.”
In 2013, Mr. Gambino fulfilled his commitment to the Navy and returned home to Angleton. “I came back completely different from the war zone, just suffering from PTSD and depression and anger. I couldn’t get through the day without a drink. Music and God helped get me back on track. I worked at NAPA Auto Parts for about two years, and in 2015 I quit my job and started touring with my band full-time. Then I met Mary at Walmart—we just ran into each other. And she was like, ‘I sent you care packages.’ Now things have completely changed for me for the good. When my band and I are playing, we'll announce that a portion of the ticket sales is going to Military Moms. It’s a way for me to give back to Mary and her people.”
Serving Those Who Serve
In addition to cash donations, Military Moms and Wives relies on volunteers to fill boxes, drive vans, go shopping, and more. One of them is Frank Morelli Jr., a Navy veteran whose daughter is now serving aboard USS Carl Vinson. He told The Epoch Times, “When I was stationed overseas, my mother always was saying, ‘Tell us what you need,’ so I know what it’s like to be away from home and to get a package from home, whether it’s family or someone else. It just feels good.”
Volunteers are welcome to help pack boxes for as little as a single hour, a day, or longer. However, the group has seen a drop-off in both volunteers and donations. Mr. Morelli said, “When Desert Storm and all that kicked off, everybody was eager to help Mary, but lately it seems they’ve lost sight of the fact there’s still people out there, even in peacetime or on the border. These soldiers need to know someone back home is caring and looking out for them. It’s all about giving them a little love—a little appreciation goes a long way. To just get a box full of goodies, whether it’s a toiletry bag, or snacks, it’s just letting them know that someone is looking out for them.”
Ms. Moreno and her group are at it every day, making sure soldiers know they are remembered, appreciated, and loved—making mail call a great experience.
