This Ties That Bind Us is sponsored by Matt The Carpet Guy.
MILLSBORO, Del. - A new Gold Star Families Memorial Monument now stands at the Delaware Veterans Memorial in Millsboro, serving as a tribute to fallen service members and the families who carry their legacy forward.
The memorial is the first Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in Sussex County and only the second in Delaware.
The project was led by Kristin Giordano, a Gold Star mother whose son, Joseph "Joey" Marquez, died during a military training exercise in 2022. Determined to honor her son's memory and the sacrifices of other fallen service members, Giordano spent the past three years fundraising and working to bring the memorial to life.
"It's a bittersweet sense of accomplishment because obviously we wouldn't be here today if I wasn't a Gold Star mom, but I think this is going to be great for the community and I'm just really happy that we got everything finished," Giordano said.
The monument honors all fallen service members and recognizes the sacrifices made by their families. Personal touches throughout the memorial also reflect Marquez's life and memory.
One image featured at the site shows Marquez during his baptism. Another was inspired by a photograph Giordano took while grieving the loss of her son.
"I actually was having a bad grief day and my husband and I went down to Rehoboth and we looked out and someone had randomly stuck a cross in the sand," Giordano said. "I've never seen it since. It's the only time, and I snapped the picture, so we used that one."
While the memorial project has been completed, Giordano said her efforts to support Gold Star families are continuing through the newly formed JM42 Foundation.
The foundation's long-term goal is to establish a beach retreat for Gold Star families, providing a place of healing and support for those who have lost loved ones in military service.
For Giordano, the monument represents more than a tribute to her son. It stands as a lasting reminder of the sacrifices made by service members and a place where their memories can be honored for generations to come.
