Today in our Stories That Matter series, Sustaining Membership Coordinator Jean Murphy describes a recent StoryCorps episode that will stay with her for a long time.
I’ll confess that I am a junkie when it comes to a good story. I just can’t resist StoryCorps and The Moth, and keep a library of my favorite episodes in my iPod. It is no exaggeration to say that I have listened to hundreds of installments, and while they are all compelling in their own way, once in a while there is a story that is so haunting that its effect stays with me for a long time.
The Storycorps episode that was broadcast on Weekend Edition Saturday July 13th did just that. The segment is one of the “Military Voices Initiative” series, and is the story of loss told from the perspective of a loving older sister. To do this piece justice, you must put down your phone or tablet, turn off the TV, close your eyes……and listen. This is a story that should have your undivided attention, it deserves no less.
Monica Velez’s devotion to the brothers that she raised will linger long after the four-minute piece has concluded. The tenderness and depth of feeling in her account is a true testament to the power of love in all its forms.
Why does this story matter? To me, it is a reminder that behind every headline there are people whose lives have been profoundly affected, and there is a human being whose story should not be overlooked or forgotten.
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