Success Story

My husband, Tom Retzer, was killed in action while deployed to Afghanistan. I fell in love with Tom at sixteen and was lucky enough to spend 7 years as his very proud wife. Our boys were just little guys when they lost their dad and today they are young men, the spitting image of their dad and a cherished reminder of the love Tom and I shared during our short life together.

Tom was a dedicated SEAL and during his 10 years in service, proved himself to be steadfast teammate with exceptional talent and a quiet professionalism that showed in everything he did. He was a really good man with a good heart. He was incredibly sure of himself but also exceptionally humble and a person of great integrity. Following Tom's death, the SEAL community that he had such faith in, rallied around our family and never left. Right down to the smallest detail, everything we could have possibly needed was thought of with the Navy SEAL Foundation acting as the springboard to make it happen.

Death is not a singular event. It scrambles every aspect of your life and grief repeats in waves that cannot always be anticipated. The Foundation understands this and works preemptively to create opportunities to stay linked to the community while cheering us on to whatever good things will come next. You see, every program the Navy SEAL Foundation offers is an opportunity for individual growth or peace. They have gotten really good at anticipating where help will be needed and creating programs that offer sustainable support. Having a Foundation that can offer logistical and financial help through any number of challenges is essential to being able to come through the other side.

- Courtney Retzer Vargo