Never Forget Our Fallen Remembers Military Men and Women

Some dates just stick with people: A wedding anniversary, a child’s birthday.  But for Deborah Getz, there’s one date that she can never forget: Feb. 18, 2007.  That’s the day that men pulled up in front of her house to tell her one of her sons, Kristofer, had been killed in action a day earlier – a helicopter crash in Afghanistan, where Kris had been deployed just months earlier.

“I was sitting on the couch, eating an apple.  An Army captain and chaplain got out of the car, walked to the door and said ‘ma’am, can we come in?’  I couldn’t even open the door,” Getz remembers.  “They opened the door for me, and asked me to sit down.”

Getz knew her sons, both of them young military men, were risking their lives each day for their country.  But joining the military had always been Kristofer’s dream, a dream he realized at age 17, when he became an Army Ranger.  A dream that was destroyed when he was killed just months after his 18th birthday.

“By the time Kris started ninth grade, he knew he would join the military,” Getz said.  “He kept a journal about it.  He was headstrong, and knew exactly what he was doing.”

Getz treasures the journal – memories in Kris’ own handwriting.

“Kris was doing drills in high school in the Junior ROTC, and in 12th grade he wrote an essay in a class,” Getz said.

An essay that inspired other students; an essay that a teacher kept and invited Kristofer back to share with classes after he graduated.

“Mrs. Enos knew there was something special about Kris, and she held on to his essay,” Getz said.

While a mother’s life comes to a halt when a child is killed, Getz had to learn to continue, day after painful day.

“My son, Nicholes was ready to deploy for the second time when his brother was killed,” she said.  “His deployment was cancelled.”

While keeping Nicholes stateside was a consolation to his mom, Getz wanted to see what she could do to help other families who had suffered similar losses.

Her non-profit organization, Never Forget our Fallen, quickly followed.  Never Forget our Fallen is an organization dedicated to remembering enlisted loved ones.

“It’s to remember our military men and women, both past and present,” Getz said.  “I feel like I’m the only one left to make sure Kris’ memory is honored and respected.”

Getz wants to make sure other service members’ memories are honored and respected, as well.  Visit the website and you will see dozens of photos of fallen service members, many with heartfelt messages from a wife, a mother, a friend.

“Some families are able to write something for the website, for some, it’s just too hard,” Getz said.  “The site helps me get through every day.”

With the anniversary of Sept. 11 fast approaching, we are reminded why our service men and women are called to action.  While Kristofer was only 12 years old on that horrific day, the event was surely etched in his memory.  By 7th grade, he was already certain that he wanted to join the Armed Forces.

While Getz will remember Sept. 11 with a golf tournament for Never Forget our Fallen, she will realize the benefits of the organization’s fundraising efforts during their fourth annual Military Children’s Christmas Party, which will take place on Dec. 17.

“We invite all children whose parents are in the military, either stateside, deployed, or if their parent was killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.  We had around 2,000 kids last year alone,” Getz said.

The event, which requires numerous donations and volunteers, is a yearlong labor of love for Getz.

“The kids are just overwhelmed with joy.  People don’t understand military pay,” Getz explained.  “When men and women deploy, they have to buy their own gear.  The parents are very appreciative of the people who give donations and make this event happen.  We have Santa Claus, gifts, music.  This may be the only holiday gifts that some kids will receive.”

Though Getz barely has enough time to accomplish all that she must do – a job during the day, running the foundation and preparing for the Christmas party at night, there’s rarely a moment when soldiers who are serving in danger zones aren’t on her mind.

“You know it can happen (a soldier being killed in action), but you don’t think it will happen to you,” she said.