Waterbury mom, Mary Kight still feels the pain. Mary lost her son Michael in 1967, when the helicopter he was piloting crashed landed in the jungles of Vietnam. It's been 50 years since her son's death and the pain still lingers. Mary told Fox 61 that coping was extremely difficult because the anti-Vietnam era was escalating. Soldiers were coming home and were being jeered and spit at. "That hurt me because it was almost like my son lost his life for nothing" Mary explained to Fox 61.

Watching Helicopters
Vietnam '68 - Credit Getty Images
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She said she had no one to talk to, so her feelings were kept bottled up inside for years until she discovered, "Gold Star Mothers," a group of moms who have also lost their children to war. She said that just talking to other mothers who've experienced the same thing is such a comfort.

Mary was so excited when Michael earned his wings that she wanted Michael, even in death, to be proud of her, so she made the decision to go up in a Huey helicopter, just like the one her son piloted.

Kight continues to carry on Michael's legacy by helping other mothers who have lost their children in recent combat. She told Fox 61, "Michael, he's proud of me. Yeah, he's proud. I knew you could do it Mom! Yes, Mike, I did." said Kight.

Listen to Ethan Carey on the Ethan & Lou Show weekdays from 5:30-10AM on 95.1 FM. You can listen online at i95rock.com/listen-live/ or by downloading the radioPup app for your mobile device.

 

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