DeAngelis: “peace and solace”
WAPPINGERS – Dozens gathered on Wednesday at the Castle Point VA hospital to commemorate the sacrifices of the service men and women who gave their lives for the country.
The guest of honor was Renate DeAngelis, a Gold Star Mother, who lost her son Christopher 30 years ago, in 1987, after his ship was struck in combat during a tour of duty in the Persian Gulf.
DeAngelis has been named a Woman of Distinction by State Senator William Larkin, and Wednesday, she received an additional honor. Yvette Rodriguez-Cacho, the chief of Voluntary Service for the hospital, presented her with a certificate for being an active member and attendee of veterans’ events in the community.
“You do not want to join this organization,” DeAngelis said
of being a member of the American Gold Star Mothers organization, “because
the initial dues are too high.” She said it took her
five years after her son’s death to join the organization, because
she did not want constant reminders of her loss. She was taken by surprise
when she first joined because of the “peace and solace” she
discovered.
“We are a huge support group and service organization. Doing volunteer
work is what keeps us moms sane and we gain personal satisfaction when
helping in the need of others,” she said.
DeAngelis said they have formed long-lasting bonds of friendship over
the years as they share the common tragedies.
She spoke highly of her late son, and recounted a time when he went off for training in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba before a six-month tour of duty in the Persian Gulf. Out of worry, she sent him a letter while he was in training.
“In between the lines, he realized how worried I was about him,” DeAngelis said, “and he sent a response letter saying, ‘Mom, do not worry about anything. Their whole Navy consists of one rowboat.’”
To the audience, DeAngelis shared a story written by a classmate of her son’s, which further illustrated how remarkable he was. Christopher was “a one-in-a-million kind of person, the kind of person you would become instant best friends with. He also was very smart and inhaled knowledge like a jet engine,” said the classmate.
Entertaining guests was Re-Creation USA, a volunteer group of singers that was founded in Penn State University in 1976, and started singing in veterans medical centers in 1983. They performed the National Anthem as well as “God Bless America,” among others.
Among the guest were local veterans of several wars fought by U.S. troops. Larry Hughson, a Kingston resident who fought in Vietnam, and talked about how joining veterans’ organizations helped him cope with the derision he faced after returning home.
“When I came home, nobody wanted to talk to you,” Hughson said. “Vietnam Veterans of America came into being because everyone wanted to join veterans’ organizations to find support.”
Joe Monaco, a Korean War veteran who lives in Hopewell Junction, talked about the biggest misconception people have about military veterans “Some think we are miserable, but we’re not,” he said. “I am happy and proud [to be a veteran].”
