The Torchbearer of Freedom

Header with a photo of Mari K. Eder on the left, the text

I’ve been rereading some of the information on the incredible Mary Barraco and I continue to learn more about her remarkable penchant for giving back in her later years. While she fought with the resistance in Belgium during World War II, was imprisoned and tortured, her fiancé killed by the Nazis, she never gave up hope. Even when released from the Gestapo prison, she continued to fight, refusing to be cowed by the oppressors

.stk-0449242{background-color:var(--stk-global-color-14950,#273891) !important}.stk-0449242:before{background-color:var(--stk-global-color-14950,#273891) !important}.stk-c099d8b{margin-bottom:0px !important}.stk-c099d8b .stk-img-wrapper{width:450px !important} A black and white photograph of a woman standing outdoors in front of a house. She is wearing a military uniform with a belt and boots, and she is smiling. The background includes a vehicle, trees, and part of the house. The image has a vintage or historical appearance, suggesting it may have been taken during a past era. There is some handwritten text on the lower right side of the photograph

A black and white photograph of a woman standing outdoors in front of a house. She is wearing a military uniform with a belt and boots, and she is smiling. The background includes a vehicle, trees, and part of the house. The image has a vintage or historical appearance, suggesting it may have been taken during a past era. There is some handwritten text on the lower right side of the photograph

Following her time in prison, Mary Sigillo served as a liaison officer for the Canadian Forces in Belgium.

Mary returned home to Massachusetts but later moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia and began to speak out about her experiences and how important it is to never forget how important our freedoms are. She would say, “For me to live free I had to forgive. But I’m not going to let anyone forget.”

.stk-aaa21c4{background-color:var(--stk-global-color-14950,#273891) !important}.stk-aaa21c4:before{background-color:var(--stk-global-color-14950,#273891) !important}.stk-3f0423d{margin-bottom:2px !important}.stk-3f0423d .stk-img-wrapper{width:450px !important} an open passport belonging to a person named Sigillo Dany. The passport appears to be from Belgium and has a red band indicating that the holder is a foreigner, specifically an American. The passport contains personal information about the holder, including their name, nationality, and other identifying details. The image also includes a handwritten note that says

an open passport belonging to a person named Sigillo Dany. The passport appears to be from Belgium and has a red band indicating that the holder is a foreigner, specifically an American. The passport contains personal information about the holder, including their name, nationality, and other identifying details. The image also includes a handwritten note that says

She never stopped living that promise. During the Vietnam War, she created “United We Stand,” a national letter writing campaign for POW/MIA soldiers. She worked on political campaigns and began to speak out more broadly about her convictions. In 1982 she spoke at the Army’s Noncommissioned Officers Association (NCOA) Annual Convention in San Antonio. As a result of that visit NCOA established the Mary S. Barraco scholarship. In 2012l, U.S. Navy sailors sponsored a surprise party in Norfolk for her 89th birthday. Everywhere she went, spoke and connected with people, she left them feeling inspired and grateful for their own freedoms. A play, The Torchbearer of Freedom, was written about her life. There are numerous other videos and clips of news coverage of her life on YouTube.

.stk-44f4380{background-color:var(--stk-global-color-14950,#273891) !important}.stk-44f4380:before{background-color:var(--stk-global-color-14950,#273891) !important}.stk-ddb50a1{margin-bottom:0px !important}.stk-ddb50a1 .stk-img-wrapper{width:600px !important} two portraits side-by-side. On the left is an older woman with white curly hair, wearing glasses and a blue sweater. She has a serious expression on her face. On the right is a younger woman with dark curly hair, smiling and looking directly at the camera. The contrasting images suggest a comparison between the two women, perhaps at different stages of their lives

two portraits side-by-side. On the left is an older woman with white curly hair, wearing glasses and a blue sweater. She has a serious expression on her face. On the right is a younger woman with dark curly hair, smiling and looking directly at the camera. The contrasting images suggest a comparison between the two women, perhaps at different stages of their lives

In 2015 she spoke at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA. The Memorial still recalls her important words that day. Mary stated that she knew “to many people what happened that long ago is past history but for those of us who lived through it all, that was yesterday, it is today, and if we do not remember, it will be tomorrow.”

She also received international recognition and national awards. The King of Belgium knighted her in 2004, giving her the title of Dame. And she was among just a handful of Americans to be recognized by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR).

While the DAR provides for a number of awards related to patriotism, the most prestigious is the Medal of Honor. It is presented annually to those who display exceptional leadership, trustworthiness, service and patriotism. Past awardees include former First Ladies Rosalynn Carter and Barbara Busch, Tom Brokaw and Trace Adkins to name a few.

.stk-205c839{background-color:var(--stk-global-color-14950,#273891) !important}.stk-205c839:before{background-color:var(--stk-global-color-14950,#273891) !important}.stk-43aad13{margin-bottom:0px !important}.stk-43aad13 .stk-img-wrapper{width:450px !important} A gold-colored medal with a red, white, and blue striped ribbon attached. The medal has an inscription that reads

A gold-colored medal with a red, white, and blue striped ribbon attached. The medal has an inscription that reads

When Mary Barraco passed away in 2019, she donated many of her scrapbooks and other items to the Holocaust Museum in Richmond Virginia. The United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, which had recognized herÍ with their Righteous Gentile Award, held onto those precious documents throughout the COVID pandemic, then presented them to the Museum. A number of them are on display today.

C’est lorsque’on a perdu la liberté que l’on en connait le prix.

It is only after we have lost our freedom, we appreciate it’s value.

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Published on August 06, 2024 06:00

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