Thread by @kelseybolar

I will #NeverForget being in middle school on 9/11 and not knowing if my dad who worked in NYC was OK. There were so many children in my Connecticut town whose parents worked in the city that teachers didn't want to tell us what happened—they just told us we were all going home.

My dad was one of the lucky ones, but some of my classmates' parents were not. That day changed my life in more ways than I'll ever know, and is the reason I work in politics. I am a child of the 9/11 generation.

In high school, I watched a group of guys I knew volunteer to serve and defend America from evil. One of them was Private First Class Nicholas Madaras, who enlisted in the US Army in January 2005. He was 18 years old and still had one semester of high school to finish.

While serving in Iraq, Nick asked his family to send him a few soccer balls so he could play soccer with Iraqi children. While he loved the sport, this was about more than a soccer game—it was about giving soldiers and Iraqi children a common ground of friendship.

On Sept. 3, 2006, while on a mission Nick's covey was redirected to pick up a few wounded soldiers. On their way back to base camp, the convoy ran into an IED trap. Nick dismounted and while posting security, was hit by shrapnel from yet another IED explosion...

...which was set off down the road from his position. He died in the arms of a fellow soldier. His unit returned home in October. He never got the chance to put a single ball in a child’s hand.

To honor Nick and foster peace, Kicks for Nick collects soccer balls and delivers them into the hands of underprivileged children around the world.

Through the simple gift of a soccer ball, they hope to perpetuate Nick’s dream of bringing a bit of hope and joy to children living in difficult circumstances.

Read more about Nick's legacy and donate here: kickfornick.org/about/

#NeverForget