Gold Star mom shares her thoughts on the eve of Memorial Day

Lisa Anderson and her family miss Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas H. Anderson everyday, including Memorial Day.

The 19-year-old died, the day after Veterans Day, in 2004. Anderson was killed when his Humvee was run off the road, during nighttime combat patrol in Iraq.

His father and stepmother, Lisa Anderson, chose to bury him with full military honors in a corner of Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura that is closest to the ocean and the railroad he enjoyed.

Nicholas’ younger brother Jackson was in elementary school when he died. This month he graduated from Villa Nova University and Nicholas has a younger sister he never met.

Lisa Anderson took up running after his death to deal with the grief. She runs in Military races wearing a shirt with his photo on the back.

“I ran the Marine Corps Marathon historic half down in Fredericksberg, Virginia, and after my run a Marine came up to me, he noticed the picture on my back and I have it of Nic, and he said, ‘I need to give you a hug,’ and I said ‘Okay,’ kind of puzzled, I knew he meant well, and then he just started weeping, and he said ‘I served with your son,’ it is a small, small community and it meant the world to me. I was on the other side of the country, and he served with my son, he remembered that , he said he wasn’t in the same unit, but he will never forget that night and it just meant the world, so one person came up to me and said they will never forget and that’s meant everything,” said Anderson.

Anderson wants people to know shared comments and memories are welcome, especially on Memorial Day.

“I am always out there reminding people to never forget and Memorial Day is a great day to do that.”

Lisa Anderson will attend the service at Ivy Lawn on Monday morning at 10 a.m.