HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Memorial Day is more than just a day off from work. It's a solemn reminder of the price of freedom. For one Gold Star mother, it's a deeply personal day of remembrance.
Evelyn Brady lost her son, Mohammed, in a tragic act of violence. He was at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola when a gunman opened fire in December 2019.
WATCH Gold Star mother honors son's sacrifice on Memorial Day
Three sailors died that day.
"Mohammed ran into a building where there was an active shooter, and he tried to neutralize a situation. Unfortunately, he was shot and killed that day," Evelyn said.
A devastating memory for his mother to look back on, but she knows he died doing what he did best: protect and serve.
Mo died a hero, a fact his mother is proud of. That pride lives side by side with pain.
"That was the longest day of my life," Evelyn said.
She said the pain has not gone away, and every day without him is a battle. That's why on Memorial Day, Evelyn is asking everyone to take a moment to remember her son and all the other men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
“Enjoy the BBQ, enjoy the beach, enjoy all the spoils that you have, but remember those who gave their lives so that you can do what you do,” Evelyn said.
"Your heart just explodes"
Katie Richesin said for years, constraints in her Army career held her back from taking the step into motherhood. But the desire to be a mom eventually won over, and when she looked into fostering, her world changed.
