Families of fallen service members bond, connect in special way: 'We're all one in blue'

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Families of fallen service members have a special way to connect with one another and honor their loved ones in the Sandhills.

wear blue: run to remember holds free community runs once a month in Fayetteville on Saturdays and is encouraging people to sign children who have lost loved ones in the military up for its mentoring program.

There is a run this Saturday, February 1 at the Clark Park Nature Center. It starts at 8 a.m.

wear blue's Gold Star Youth Mentorship is just one of the organization's various programs. It pairs youth with mentors to train for a 5K run.

Gold Star Widow Yesenia Gilfranco said getting involved has transformed her family and helped her daughter, Yazmin, heal. She showed ABC11 the corner of her house where she keeps a memorial for her late husband, Staff Sergeant Cristian Gilfranco.

"This is Cristian's urn so we keep it here. Yazmin comes here often, actually," she said.

Cristian died of stomach cancer while on active duty in 2017. The Gold Star widow said her daughter was only eight months old when her father died. Yesenia was a lieutenant.

"As an active-duty service member, I don't think I let myself grieve the way I probably should have," Gilfranco said.

Then a friend encouraged her to join wear blue: run to remember, a foundation for families of fallen soldiers. The organization holds runs nationwide to give families a chance to connect, cope with loss, and mentor kids.

"I love to say that we're all one in blue because we are like you, no matter where you are, what you're going through that day you have a community of supporters behind you who are walking with you," said Sarah Vargo, Gold Star youth mentorship program director for wear blue.

Watching Yazmin run and bond with her mentor in the foundation, Gilifranco said it's only made her daughter stronger.

"She just kept saying--even though she was struggling, she said, 'I'm doing this for Dad, I'm doing this for Dad.' and it was a huge step. She made me very proud and I know Cris would be proud of her, too," Gilifranco said.

Anyone interested in learning more about wear blue's Gold Star Youth Mentorship Program can visit their website here.