Veteran: Goldstar Mothers and Families...Pat Mracek and Barb Yllescas Vorthmann

Our Guest: Pat Mracek
Proud mom of Fallen Hero SGT Cory Mracek
President NE Gold Star Mothers
Co-Chair  Honor and Remember NE Chapter

My son, SGT Cory R Mracek was killed by an IED in Iskandaryiah, Iraq on January 27, 2004.  He was stationed with the 82nd Airborne and had only been in country 8 days.  It was his dream to become a member of the 82nd and had just achieved that dream six weeks earlier. 

I am President of the NE Gold Star Mothers.  I organized our group in 2007 spending many hours finding parents’ names and addresses.  We hold twice yearly events to get together and support each other.    I have helped others organize many events that include the Gold Star Families.

 I received the first personalized plate in a ceremony with Governor Heineman in Lincoln, NE. I am Chapter Leader and organizer of The Compassionate Friends of NW Nebraska which is a group for bereaved parents.  I am Co-chair of Honor and Remember NE Chapter and President of Hemingford, NE American Legion Auxiliary and work with the Honor Flight out of western NE.

Guest: Barb Yllescas Vorthmann

I am the Gold Star Mother of Capt Robert  Yllescas Army Ranger Afghanistan 12-1-08.  It was his 3rd tour of duty, the first 2 were in Iraq. He is buried in Osceola Neb.  I am president of the chapter of Iowa Gold Star Mothers. I belong  to the Honor and Remember Nebr chapter and distribute the flags to Iowa families.  I also belong to  the Nebr VFW and am in Legion Aux, TAPS  and do fund raising for the Fisher House foundation.  My group of GSM do hundreds of  hours of volunteer work for homeless vets at Victory Apts in Omaha, volunteer in the VA hospitals and make blankets and give to the VA hospice patients.  These are just a few of the things that we do.