Hello,
Early, this morning, I received a very important phone call…
Imagine…three young boys having one thing in common that no one had expected for, the teenagers have lost their fathers …
Patrick McCaffrey Jr (PJ) is Sgt Patrick McCaffrey & Connie Hernandez's Son, my grandson.
I remember the day of Patrick's Memorial at Fry's Chapel, hundred's of people came, and many stood outside the chapel. Patrick Junior and Janessa Marie were playing in the chapel and laughing, I finally got a hold of
Junior who was nine years old at the time, I spoke to him gently, explaining and at the same time asking if he understood that it was his father inside the flag draped coffin standing before us and that was not respectful to run inside the place. Junior looked at me and said:
"yea grandma but, when is my Daddy coming home?"

My jaw dropped, and I understood at this instant that we were heading for a long haul of sad emptiness in our lives…
His dad was shot 8 times and killed in Balad, Iraq, June 22 2004. He had a very tough time for a year. Now Patrick is doing well in school and playing football like his father.
Connie has done a fine job as a single mother. Patrick wants to fulfill his dad's ambition and follow his example in life.
Patrick asked recently: "grandma, do you think that my dad would be proud of me?"
For the three boys and their schoolmates, a Christmas Dream has emerged, wanting their fathers to be proud of them!
Their football team "the lions", is a great team and winning.
After the last game, the next stop is a trip to Florida for the playoffs.
Quite an adventure for these young boys.
The lions football team needs approximately $2500.00 for our three boys, so they can get to Florida, play and win....
We also have three single mothers who tirelessly are fighting the odds in making ends meet wanting the best for their sons.
Nadia McCaffrey Gold Star Mother

I received the following from team's coach, Roger Young:
Roger O. Young
415-216-4663
Ok, the three players:
I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to talk to me…I will get the follow done now for you:
1) Background about PJ (your grandson) Connor Dunn, and Jesse Duran.
2) Information about Lions football and Craig Connely
Patrick McCaffrey Jr
So, little over a year ago Patrick McCaffrey Jr, comes up to me and his other coach and tells us about how he is going to Tracy, because the city is adding Sgt Patrick McCaffrey Sr's name to a monument, and wanted to see the new street: Patrick McCaffrey Sr. Avenue named after his dad…
We were stunned. We know that his dad was killed in Iraq, but we never knew how much he meant to so many…
The biggest was this boy standing in front of us that did not know if he should cry or not….
But his smile was SO BIG.
"Made me think… What am I doing that could help others and make my life worth so much? I think we should all do the same. In today's economic times… the human relationship is the true currency."
Conor Dunn
… Connor started playing football for Santa Clara when he was 7 or 8 and was a star then just like he is today.
His dad was always on the side line as one off the coaches until 2yrs ago were he passed away.
His mom still makes it to all of his game and yells the loudest. Connors grades are some of the best too… Conor is always winning the best scholastic awards… This year Conor had to face the choice of playing high school or staying with his pop Warner team… the two coaches met and shared goals and feelings and in true form supported each other, the community and the player, Conor.

Jesse Duran Jr.
His father just died this year and has always coached at Lions football… his son Jesse (Tiger) has been the shine it his eye. Big Jesse was a corner stone in is help to the community off the field with his relentless support and hours helping in homeless shelters in downtown San Jose…. TIGER… I never knew why they called him that…. Made because his dad always refereed to him as "his little TIGER" and it stuck. Tiger too is a longtime part of the Lion Football family and has been a great player and friend.

I called Steve and left a message. Also his wife.
I woke up this morning remembering sitting beside Steve at Pathway and looking at photos on his computer. His daughter, his wife, photos from Iraq. I had no idea that I was looking at some of those same photos from your house... photos where Patrick was too. Maybe he was in one of those photos... I am so sorry, my friend, that you have lost your son, that Junior lost his father, that Patrick's father is in the depression he is in. Please tell him from me when you see him this Thanksgiving that I am thinking of him. Words are so inadequate....

My heart will never be the same again after what I witnessed at Pathway Home. It wasn't easy for those guys having a stranger plopped into their midst, sitting in their groups, hanging out in their day room, asking them questions tha t made them revisit their most painful memories... But if i am able to convey through this story how broken the system is and how much it only magnifies and prolongs the trauma of war, and how much we need safe havens like Pathways, then it will be worth it.

* http://patrick-mccaffrey.memory-of.com * Mother of Sergeant Patrick McCaffrey, 34, father of 2 young children, an American Patriot, fallen in an ambush, shot 8 times, near Balad, Iraq, June 22 2004. Patrick is the first combat-death in 58 years history of the California National Guards 579 Engineer Battalion based in Petaluma, CA, Patrick is Casualty number 848 * http://search.msn.com/video/results.aspx?q=NADIA%20MCCAFFREY&first=1&docid=2112335511928&FORM=VIVR3, * http://www.hd.net/drr230u.html *