Mothers' Love

If you do an Internet search for &#8220soldier parents support groups,” you will find over 2 million sites. Search for &#8220soldier support groups” and that number swells to over 18 million.
These organizations do a tremendous job of supporting our troops, both in combat and back at home, even though distilling the information can be daunting. Each military base has its own support groups. Many hometowns across the nation have them too.
Packages are gathered and sent to loved ones fighting in foreign lands; greeting cards are sent from classes in schools around the nation.
However, for some parents - the news is unbearable - involving the capture or death of a son or daughter who is fighting overseas.
Three Corona mothers are planning to organize a support group at a community level.
Maria del Rosario Duran, whose son Alex Jimenez is missing in action since May 12 in Al Taqa, Iraq, after his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using automatic fire and explosives.
Gladys Ciro lost her son Marlon Bustamante, 25, when he was killed in Baghdad, Iraq, on February 1, 2006, by an improvised explosive device that detonated near his Humvee.
Maria Gomez lost her son Jose Gomez, 23, on April 28, 2006 on the battlefield in Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee.
Only mothers who have sons and daughters serving in the military here and in Iraq and Afghanistan can understand the emotional highs and lows a parent experiences. A letter from their loved one, an e-mail, a phone call and their spirits literally soar.
However, when the news is bad the best help these mothers can get is from others who have lived through the same horrible experience.
We applaud the efforts of Duran, Ciro and Gomez as well as other community leaders, family and friends who are forming a support group based in Corona to help others who may be in or thrust into the same emotional whirlpool that they were.
We hope that our local politicians and businesses come forward with funds to help these mothers establish their worthy group.
A mother's love never dies, and it can help to heal.