Jack Bruschetti and Lynne Bruschetti
Leonard Carpenter worked for BFGoodrich in Akron, Ohio, where he also raised his family. According to his daughter Lynne, he always kept a comb, handkerchief, and penknife in his pockets and used clippers to cut his grass “because he wanted every blade of grass to be exactly the same height.”
His grandson Jack Bruschetti was born in 1999, the same year Leonard died from Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 86.
At StoryCorps, Jack, 13, asked his mother, Lynne, to share with him more about his grandfather.
Originally aired July 19, 2013, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Above: Leonard Carpenter in Kentucky, where he grew up, in the early 1940s. Photo courtesy of Lynne Bruschetti.
Monica Velez and Christopher Hernandez
Growing up, Monica Velez was a mother figure to her two younger brothers, Andrew and José “Freddy” Velez (pictured together above, in 1996).
But her brothers both left home at an early age; Freddy (above left) joined the U.S. Army when he was 18 and deployed to Iraq. When Andrew (above right) turned 18 two years later, he followed his brother into military service and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Corporal José “Freddy” Velez was killed in action in Iraq in 2004. He was 23 years old and was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for outstanding service.
Specialist Andrew Velez had the difficult task of escorting his brother’s body back to the United States. Two years later, he committed suicide in Afghanistan. He was 22 years old. Before he died, Andrew received the Army Commendation Medal.
Their older sister, Monica, came to StoryCorps with her husband, Christopher Hernandez (pictured together above), to remember her brothers.
Originally aired July 13, 2013, on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday.
Top: Photo courtesy of Monica Velez.
Faith Marr and Jerris Marr
In 2007, when Faith Marr was 4 years old, she was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer on her spine and had what was to become the first of eight surgeries replacing her vertebrae with titanium rods.
At StoryCorps, Faith, 10, talk with her father, Jerris, about the tremendous pain she dealt with and shares some of the lessons battling cancer has taught her.
Faith’s cancer is now in remission and when she turns 18, Jerris plans to get a tattoo in her honor that says, “Keep the Faith.”
Originally aired July 12, 2013, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Above: Faith in 2008, on her 5th birthday. Photo courtesy of Jerris Marr.
James Bizzaro and Paul Bizzaro
James (left) and Paul (right) Bizzaro, both in their 80s, grew up in a house behind the Statue of Liberty. Their family moved there in 1937 after their father got a job as a guard.
At the time, James was 6 and Paul was 8, and they had run of the island—even occasionally going up to the torch and shaking Lady Liberty’s whole arm.
Their father soon began working maintenance on the island and eventually became a supervisor before retiring in 1971 after 36 years there.
At StoryCorps, the brothers remember their childhood on what is now called Liberty Island.
Originally aired July 5, 2013, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Samuel Taylor and Connie Casey
When he was 15 years old, Samuel Taylor came out to his mother, Connie Casey.
In an attempt to “fix” her son, Connie sent Samuel to a series of ex-gay conversion therapy ministries affiliated with Exodus International. Samuel was in therapy for three years.
Samuel, 22, came to StoryCorps with Connie to talk about his experience—and to hear about the evolution of her beliefs.
Originally aired June 28, 2013, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
This story was originally broadcast a few days after Exodus International folded and apologized for promoting reparative therapies. At the time of this broadcast, subjecting minors to conversion therapy remains legal in 45 states.
Gilbert Zermeño and Pat Powers-Zermeño
Gilbert Zermeño came from a family without much money. They lived on the plains of West Texas and got by on the $100 a week that Gilbert’s father made working the cotton fields, so when Gilbert wanted to join the school band and play the saxophone, it wasn’t as easy for his mother as just going out and buying a sax.
At StoryCorps, Gilbert explains to his wife, Pat Powers- Zermeño, how, with the help of the Virgin of Guadalupe, he ended up playing not the saxophone, but the trombone.
Originally aired June 21, 2013, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Robert Stokely
Army Sergeant Michael Stokely enlisted in the Georgia Army National Guard straight out of high school. He deployed to Iraq in 2005, where he was killed by a roadside bomb.
At StoryCorps, his father, Robert Stokely talks about traveling to Iraq to pay tribute to his fallen son.
Originally aired June 15, 2013, on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday.
Top: Robert and Michael, who died on deployment in Iraq in 2005. Photos courtesy of Robert Stokeley
Adrian Hawkins and Horace Atwater Jr.
Horace Atwater Jr. (right) took in Adrian Hawkins (left) as a foster child when he was about 14 years old. Until then, Adrian, who had lived in several group and foster homes, remembers, “times being hungry, seeing drugs and all kinds of stuff.”
At StoryCorps, Horace tells Adrian about the very personal experience he had with his own family that led him to care so deeply for a stranger.
Originally aired June 14, 2013, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Rick Bounds and Dorothy Biernack
Rick Bounds is a 58-year-old triathlete, with four competitions and a 100-mile bike ride to his credit, but six years ago he was diagnosed with a nonhepatitis liver disease. Rick’s doctors told him that he needed an immediate kidney and liver transplant, and they gave him eight months to live.
Dorothy Biernack’s husband, Marty, had a stroke, and by the time he arrived at the hospital, there was nothing the doctors could do to save him. That is when his family decided to donate his kidneys and liver.
Marty died on July 20, 2007; Rick received his transplant on July 21, 2007.
At StoryCorps, Rick and Dorothy remember Marty.
Originally aired May 17, 2013, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Above: Dorothy, holding a photo of Marty, hugs Rick at the finish line of his first triathlon. Photo courtesy of Rick Bounds.
Carol Kirsch and Rebecca Posamentier
Rebecca Posamentier (above right) first came to StoryCorps in 2008 with her mother, Carol Kirsch, who had been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Rebecca was hoping to record her mother’s voice and thoughts on tape before Carol ‘s condition worsened.
Carol died in March 2011, and Rebecca returned to StoryCorps to remember her mother.
Originally aired May 10, 2013, on NPR’s Morning Edition.