Boy from iconic wartime photo pays it forward at Christmas

 

It’s one of the most powerful pictures from the Iraq war: an 8-year-old, his lip trembling, is handed a folded flag at his father’s funeral. Watch video here.

The iconic image inspired a family friend – someone the young Christian Golczynski had never met – to send him a present and, later, to launch a foundation that helps hundreds of kids just like him.

Every year, A Soldier’s Child sends children of fallen soldiers gifts on their birthday. Christian’s father, Marine Staff Sgt. Marcus Golczynski, was killed in Iraq in 2007, so Christian was the first recipient. Now, there are 1,200 in 46 states.

Aaron Thompson / Daily News Journal / AP

Christian Golczynski, 8, receives the flag that covered the coffin of his father during a graveside service in 2007.

“It’s letting these kids know…you’re not invisible to us, we recognize what you go through and how you serve our country,” said Daryl Mackin, the group’s founder. “I mean, imagine missing your parents on your birthday, you know, Christmas, Thanksgiving, all the special days, you know, you hit the home run and your dad’s not there.”

And six years after that famous photo was taken, Christian is doing his part to carry out the mission of A Soldier’s Child and make the holidays easier for other military children.

Christian is 15 now, a sophomore in high school and a goalie on his lacrosse team. He and his mother, Heather, are “adopting” other military families, picking out presents so they don’t feel forgotten during this holiday season.

“I really just hope that they feel like I did the first year when I got it,” Christian said. “Just really nice inside…the thought of knowing that someone else is thinking about you over the holidays.”

In 2010, the Golczynskis adopted Connor and Cooper Bunting, ages 6 and 4, whose father, Army Capt. Brian “Bubba” Bunting was killed in Afghanistan just days before their mother, Nicki, learned she was pregnant with the younger boy.

“It was really, really special,” Nicki Bunting said of the care package, which included child-sized lacrosse sticks and child-sized footballs, representing her husband’s favorite sports. ”It was just so neat to just see my kids light up and get this package full of stuff.

Read the rest here.

You need to be a member of The Patriots For America to add comments!

Join The Patriots For America

Email me when people reply –

Replies

  • Wow.......if this doesn't rip your heart-strings, your pulse as stopped.  God bless these kind, generous, giving souls.  Our government just recently jerked support for our vets and disable in passing the National Defense Authorization Act(NDAA).

    And as a government, our warriors and their families are always way down on the priority list when considering support but always at the top of the list when budget reductions are needed or some politicians wants cannon fodder for his/her war.

    God bless our warriors, their families, and especially the families of our lost this Christmas and always.

  • I love it!

  • Even though I've seen this picture many times, it still brings a tear to my eye.  Unfortunately, I have never heard of this organization.  It sounds wonderful.  Thanks for letting us know.

  • This is a prime example of how jaded and disconnected the Main Stream Media has become, to and including the majority of the American public. The NBC News Special Report should be ashamed of themselves. The picture of this young boy receiving his father's coffin flag was obviously the most heart wrenching picture of its type and NOBODY could have viewed it without a lump in their throat and heart. Now you tell me. During the Bush years, you could not go a day in any newspaper without countless pictures, articles detailing the daily losses in Iraq to include multiple seq-ways into the personal opinions of psuedo-intellectual reporters and editors as to the waste, futility, and mis-directed effort the Iraq war represented. However, once the self anointed ONE ascended upon the throne and declared Afghanistan as the right war and HIS war, you do not see one iota of daily coverage on Afghan War casualties in ANY newspaper in the Country and the closest you can find to any Military representations in the aforementioned literary rags are the archaic, cartoonish re-runs of Beetle Bailey. So now, NBC has the unmitigated gall to run a puff piece on how the now 15 year old Christian Golczynski has paid it forward by comforting unfortunate kids like him with Christmas kindness. Let me ask? How has NBC played it forward regarding the sacrifice, commitment, death, and memory of Christians father Marcus. Seen any Memorial Specials or Tributes on NBC regarding those killed in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. Seen any critical or degrading articles by any Editors, Associate Editors, Staff Editorial Journalists, Copy Boys, Newspaper Distributors, (Help me-I'm running out of choices) regarding the shutdown of the D.C. War Memorials or the recent reduction of the Veterans Pensions, or the mass closure of the PQX's around the country that the Military families depend on. Or perhaps just a two inch column on the last page of the special newspaper editions cajoling the lack of States accepting Homosexual Marriage, Bestiality, Polygamy, Drug Legalization, and most importantly BB Gun Registrations, that would indicate totals Killed in Action in Afghanistan last week, last month, or for that matter last year. Don't look, because you won't find it. People don't get killed in HIS war or in Benghazi for that matter, they just cease to exist under circumstances that just somehow can't be explained, "TRUTHFULLY THAT IS". So here have, the "NBC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT" exercising journalistic genius by capitalizing on the most heart wrenching private moment a little boy could endure and demonstrated their version of "Paying It Forward" They as usual have failed. Failed that boy and his family, failed the Public, and utterly failed their commitment to fair, accurate and truthful journalism. NBC Special Report didn't Pay It Forward, they "Pandered IT Forward"
    • Amen, Kevin, Amen, Amen, Amen.

    • Kevin, you stated that so completely and eloquently. God Bless you! May I share your comment, leaving out your name of course?

  • It would be nice if our government cared as much about families of fallen heroes.

    There are too many children in Christian's shoes.

  • that is what family does!

    it does not matter what branch of the military, we are all family when it comes to defending the USA.

  • Twana-Would apologize for not transitioning properly from your heartfelt, very well intended post into my media tirade and did not mean to marginalize your effort. Unfortunately, that boys picture epitomized the thousands of sorrowful and broken hearts of the thousands of Americans suffering similar fates through the loss of a loved one, who gave all. NBC using that particular picture and ultimate ending just shows how arrogant, contemptuous, and devious they really are. I know that we don't expect the media to do their job, nor the rest of the present Administration and their acolytes, however, our expectations should be the desired result as to the direction of this country and not the platform of their new normal of deceit, lies, mis-information and twisted logic. Again, I would apologize for shooting from the hip , which honestly clouded your intent from the heart. Merry Christmas and many thanks for your tireless commitment, devotion, and above all Patriotic attention to this site.
     
This reply was deleted.