U.S. Army
SPC
2/9/2011, USA
Dear Michael, my name is Lori Tinsley. I am a Gold Star Mom. My son, Specialist Greggery Phillip Mandeville, joined the National Guard and went into boot camp at the age of 26. He loved being an American Soldier. He was deployed to Camp Taji, Iraq on Mothers Day 2009. He returned to the states at the end of his tour in 2010 with PTSD. February 9 of 2011 my son took his own life. They say it was the PTSD. He is my fallen Hero.
When he was 5, his Daddy was electrocuted accidentally. I spent the rest of his life trying to be the best Mommy and Daddy to him that I could be. I feel that I let him down or he would still be here. He was my only child, I didn’t remarry until he was 21 years old. It was he and I against the world and we did our best. For our friends, family and country. My Son re-enlisted while he was in Iraq and as soon as his feet landed back on American Soil, he was volunteering for another tour of duty.
I found your name and what you do for us on the Gold Star Brigade. I would love it very much if you would draw My Hero for me. I will want to make reprints if that is alright. 3 of them, one for each of his children.
My son’s life was never easy, he never did all the things he wanted to do but he Always did what he Had to do. And now he soars with the Eagles. I pray that I will see him soon.