Cierra P. is the daughter of U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Max P. Cierra’s father lost his life in 2017 due to a service-related illness. “My Dad was a larger-than-life person. He could do anything, solve any problem, heal any wound, and he made it look so easy. Others would describe my Dad as loyal, competitive, light-hearted, and likable.”
As a Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation (Fallen Patriots) scholarship recipient, Cierra studied business journalism at Arizona State University and graduated in December 2019. She chose to study journalism because she loves to investigate current events, share peoples’ stories, and synthesize her findings to a mass audience. “It was during an Investigative Journalism class that I realized I have a strong passion for ‘getting to the bottom of things.’ I love to be creative, solve problems, work as a team, and produce high-quality work.”
Fallen Patriots has financially helped Cierra in her quest to reach her educational and career goals. “I am the first person in my family to graduate college. As the second oldest of seven siblings that my Dad left behind, it is my ultimate goal to set the best example I can for them. Receiving a scholarship from Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation has lessened my financial burden and allowed me to focus on school and making my family proud.”
For anyone who has gone through a similar loss, Cierra advises, “You do not have to be tough all the time. There are people you can talk to, who will help you, and who have been in the same shoes as you. That doesn’t make it any easier, but you are not alone, and you won’t ever be as long as you allow people to help you.”
There are approximately 25,000 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.
