EMILY MCCLIMANS: EMOTIONAL SUPPORT
Apr 1, 2016
Gold Star scholar, Emily McClimans’, dad died in active duty. To her, Gold Star children are different than any other children.
“My father literally entered into a warzone, not only to protect my family and I from harm, but to allow other families to go to sleep each night without fear that war will break out,” explained Emily. “He died for people he never met, so that they could experience all that life has to offer.”
For a young child, nothing can replace the loss of a mother or father. Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation celebrates the bravery of Gold Star children. They have had to endure immense sacrifice, losing a parent.
Most Gold Star children have moved several times, experienced and witnessed their parents returning home from war and have faced the responsibility to be the backbone for their grieving families. Fallen Patriots provides a shoulder to lean on when Gold Star children need emotional support.
“The hardest part about being a gold star child is not being understood by other peers and teachers,” explained Emily. “Losing a parent is a horrible thing for a child to go through because it literally destroys the child and oftentimes, the child’s hope. Watching my family crumble before my own eyes has been one of the toughest experiences for me and even to this day, seeing my family struggle is so difficult.”
Fallen Patriots strives to fill a piece of that emptiness, and help provide emotional support along with financial funding.
Emily is currently a senior who is planning to attend Texas Christian University, where she will double-major in business and education. She believes her dad would be most proud of her strength and hard work.