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Through the 11 of Us project, WNPR and CPBN's Institute for Advanced Media are sharing eleven personal stories from veterans and those in their community.In the series, veterans talk about their service and what it means to be a veteran.CPBN is hosting a clothing drive for veterans and their families in Connecticut. Bring new clothing with tags still attached, or gift cards for the purchase of new clothing, to CPBN at 1049 Asylum Avenue in Hartford, attention Mike Komrosky. The drive ends November 17.11 of Us is made possible by Victory Energy Solutions and New England Conservation Services.

Mother Connects With Families Who Lost Children in Service to Country

"Veterans Day is for those people who answered the call to duty unselfishly throughout history."
Diane DeLuzio

In the days leading up to Veterans Day, WNPR brings you stories from veterans and those in their community.

Diane DeLuzio had two sons who joined the military. 

"My older son, Scott, was Sgt. Scott DeLuzio, part of the Connecticut National Guard and he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010," DeLuzio said. "My son, Steven, Sgt. Steven DeLuzio, also a member of the U.S. Army in the infantry, a member of the Vermont National Guard. He was deployed to Iraq in 2006 and returned home safely, and was returned to Afghanistan in 2009 and 10. In August of 2010, August 22, 2010, he was killed in Afghanistan and that is what makes me a Gold Star mother.

"Shortly after Steven died, I connected with someone who’s now a good friend, Sue Martucci, who was spearheading a project called the Connecticut Trees of Honor Memorial. And at the time they didn’t even have a location for this memorial but by joining that committee, it enabled me to meet other Gold Star families who were going through the initial shock of losing a loved one.

"Five years later, planning a memorial and a dedication for next year where we can honor the service of all veterans and especially pay tribute to those who lost their lives. And so I've had the privilege of meeting so many veterans, so many military families, and Gold Star families who honestly are probably the only ones who can really understand what it’s like to lose a child in service to the country. 

Credit Victor Suwatcharapinun / CPBN
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CPBN
Diane DeLuzio of Glastonbury talks about her son's service to the country. Sgt. Steven DeLuzio served with the U.S Army. He was killed in Afghanistan while serving with the Vermont Army National Guard.

"It is very difficult until you’ve gone through it and so I think being there for those who it’s more recent I think, I hope, has helped them through this unimaginable pain that you go through.

"To me, Veterans Day is for those people who answered the call to duty unselfishly throughout history."

DeLuzio has been working on the Connecticut Trees of Honor Memorial

Lucy leads Connecticut Public's strategies to deeply connect and build collaborations with community-focused organizations across the state.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Fund the Facts

You just read trusted, local journalism that’s free for everyone, thanks to donors like you.

If that matters to you, now is the time to give. Join the 50,000+ members powering honest reporting and a more connected — and civil! — Connecticut.

Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.