Mother Of Fallen Soldier Seeks Donations For Military Appreciation Fund
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Since 2001, more than 35,000 Minnesotans have served in combat.
The Minnesotans' Military Appreciation Fund has helped many of them, including the Herrgott family of Shakopee.
The Herrgotts are part of Minnesota's history, a part of its history they never wanted to be a part of.
The Herrgotts lost their 20-year-old son, Jim, in 2003. He was the first Minnesotan to die in the war in Iraq. His mother said she doesn't like public speaking but spoke with WCCO because she wanted to go on the record for a group that is near to her heart.
It's been 12 years since her baby boy slept in his bed.
Marcia Herrgott said it hits her in waves.
"Seeing a soldier walk by, seeing my oldest grandson doing something that my son would have done or the expression on their face -- something like that," she said.
Jim Herrgott enlisted after 911. The car aficionado's job was to drive a tank in Iraq, and his peers praised his work.
"He says the tank was his racecar," Marcia Herrgott said. "He was pretty amazing."
A tank is where his life came to an end. A sniper hit him in the neck as he raised his head from below.
"We had heard on the news -- WCCO news -- that a soldier had been killed at the national museum, but we never thought it would be our son," Herrgott said. "There was a red van that pulled up beside our house, and we saw who was walking up. It was like I didn't want to let him in the door."
Herrgott was the first Minnesotan to die in the war in Iraq. The family cut the phone lines and gathered at home. The funeral grew crowds too big for the church, supporting the family with their presence.
Later, they got another type of support.
"All of a sudden, a check arrived in the mail, one for my husband, one for me," Herrgott said.
The money was from Minnesota's Military Appreciation Fund, a group that cuts a check to every returning soldier who applies for one and to families whose service members never come home from combat zones.
"It can be devastating to the pocketbook, just devastating for some people, because it's the loss of an income, so, yes, a check is a nice thing, a way to support them," Herrgott said.
So moved by the group and the mission, Herrgott now volunteers, helping raise money, so they can write checks.
"May it be a dollar, $5, $10 -- whatever you can give -- just to say thank you to the soldiers," Herrgott said. "He was such a giver. That's why I decided I have to work in his place."
Herrgott's mom was live in our phone bank Wednesday evening to answer call and take donations.
To donate, call 1-800-542-9226 or donate online.