Kendall G. is the daughter of Army JAG Major David G., who passed away in 2003 to a service-connected illness. Kendall is currently studying Drama at New York University: Tisch School of the Arts.
Kendall’s father passed away when she was just 15 months old, but she credits her mother and her father’s close friends for keeping his memory alive and sharing what he was like. “They all describe him as vivacious, ambitious, and ferociously loyal. Everyone seems to focus on his very creative sense of humor. When I was a baby, he used to sing me Slim Shady by Eminem. Apparently, he deemed that an appropriate lullaby for an infant…I have always thought that story was a fun representation of my relationship with my father.”
Regarding her father’s military service, Kendall explained, “My father’s military service shows me what it means to do something with your life. The places he was able to go and the cultural moments he was able to experience are so valuable. I carry his journeys with me today. By the time my father was 12, he knew his first priority was going to be to serve his country. First as a JAG in the Army and later as a staff counsel for the Veterans Affairs Committee of the United States Senate. I know my dad would be proud of me for following my theatrical dreams and passion for performing. He would have been in the front row of every opening night performance and there to console me every time a show closed.”
Fallen Patriots is honored to support Kendall as she pursues a Bachelors in Fine Arts in Drama from NYU: Tisch School of the Arts. Post-graduation, Kendall hopes to be a working actor and would love to open a non-profit to educate underprivileged and disadvantaged children about The Arts. About why she chose this field, Kendall shared, “My passion lies in The Arts. I feel invincible when I stand in the center of the stage, warm lights hitting me from above and the notes of the overture playing in the orchestra below, 20-foot red velvet curtains touring above me. I am free to be whoever I want to be, in whichever time period I choose. The best part is when I am given a character that I can relate to. This allows me to draw on my own experiences and lead the audience to draw upon their own memories which ideally, allows them to feel whatever strong emotions result. That connection, even for a moment, is amazing. The feeling that comes with that connection is my inspiration every day.”
After receiving a scholarship from Fallen Patriots, Kendall shares, “At NYU, I can pursue my passion for theatre while receiving education in all the aspects I’d need for a future career in the performing arts. The Fallen Patriots Scholarship allowed me to realize my dream of attending NYU in pursuit of my BFA in Drama. I feel so fortunate to have the possibility of ongoing support from Fallen Patriots over the next 3.5 years of my college experience. I cannot adequately express my appreciation with words alone.”
There are approximately 25,000 military children who have lost an active-duty parent in the military over the last 35 years. The vision of Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation is to ensure that every such child receives all necessary college funding.