Category: Sienna Hicks Gold Star Sibling Grant

The 1st Annual Sienna Hicks Gold Star Sibling Grant

8/14/2023

Author: Sienna Hicks

Gold Star Sister of Macoy Austin Daniel Hicks U.S. Navy
Founder of The Sienna Hicks Gold Star Sibling Grant
Co-Founder of HicksStrong Inc.

2023 GRANT RECIPIENTS

We are proud to announce the recipients of the first ever Sienna Hicks Gold Star Sibling Grant! Each recipient was awarded a $1,000 Grant to assist with tuition along with a Certificate.

The recipients are:

Lauren Williams honoring her brother Phillip Ryan Watson - U.S. Army National Guard
Harley Franson honoring her brother Trenton Franson - U.S. Marine Corps
Angela Hernandez honoring her brother Jason John Hernandez - U.S. Army
Rubi Galarza honoring her brother Vilmar Galarza Hernandez - U.S. Army
David Griffith honoring his brother Samuel Mark Griffith - U.S. Marine Corps
Delana Obenauer honoring her brother Ethan Lee Gander - U.S. Air Force
Jim Levulis honoring his brother John Joseph Levulis - U.S. Army

I was touched by each and every one of their stories in one way or another. I am so proud of what I have created and where these Gold Star Siblings are going with their journeys of life while grieving as well. Each of the recipients would like you to also get to know them a little. Down below are their "about me" sections in their own words along with some pictures to give you a glimpse of their stories.

Lauren Williams

"My name is Lauren Williams, and I am studying to become a reading specialist to help children and adults who struggle with literacy. I'm dual majoring in Elementary Education and Special Education at Western Governors University. I am also happily married to my husband, Bryan, and we have two children. I took a break from college eighteen years ago, and I'm so thankful to be back on track. I have an incredible family, and we're closer than ever after experiencing the tragedy of losing my brother, Ryan, in 2015. Attending college as a parent can be a struggle, and the Sienna Hicks Gold Star Sibling Grant is a tremendous blessing to my family.

My brother, LTC Phillip Ryan Watson, served our country in the Army National Guard for nineteen years. He was incredibly funny, generous, and loyal to his family, friends, and those who served under him. He bravely deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning the Bronze Star and many other medals. His last assignment was at the National Guard Bureau Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Education was important to Ryan, and he tirelessly earned his associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees while working and serving his country. I am following my dream due to his extraordinary life and example."

Harley Franson

"I am Harley Franson and I lost my brother Trenton Franson around a year ago. He passed away in an accident. Trenton was a kind soul who cared for everyone who he met. He tried to make everyone feel loved and special. He was the best big brother to have ever asked for. At first it didn’t feel real, honestly for months it didn’t. He graduated boot camp in 2019 and left late that year for his MOS school. He was stationed in Japan, which because of the pandemic and the distance made it hard to travel. I had not seen him in person since 2019. It was hard and confusing because of the distance at first, honestly it didn’t hit me until we got all the boxes of his property, he is really gone. He should be coming home a month after I start school. I miss him everyday, and I think it will get harder when it's in the fall and he should be coming home and getting married. I wanted to be like him even when he was alive, but now it means more to continue the legacy of him and his kindness. He is my hero for many reasons, I miss him everyday."

Angela Hernandez

"My brother Jason John Hernandez brought life to this Earth from the day he was born, September 7, 1986. It was also September 7, 2007, 21 years later that my family received the news that my baby brother, Jason John was killed by an attack in Mosul, Iraq. I will never forget that day but more importantly, I will never forget my brother, his sacrifice, who he was, what he loved to do, who he loved, I get to remember that I was blessed to be in a true angel's presence for the twenty one precious years he shed light in this world. Ultimately paying the ultimate sacrifice for world peace. I carry him with me everywhere I go to this day as I continue to fight my own battle with addiction and work in the field of addiction and recovery myself, to hopefully shed just a glimpse of the light on the world in no comparison as my brother Jason did for this country.

My Name is Angela Hernandez and I am 40 years old. I have 2 children and a fiancé. I live in Hartville, Ohio and recently graduated from Stark State College with an Associates in Applied Science- Chemical Dependency AS and an Associates of Applied Arts AA. I am currently continuing my education pursuing a Bachelor Degree in Social Work at The University of Cincinnati and currently work in the field of addiction treatment. I genuinely have a passion for giving hope to the downtrodden, the hopeless, the isolated and desolate and any individual really who finds themselves suffering from this thing called Life. If there is one thing I have learned in my own life experience and through Sienna Hicks and her gleaming spirit and kind heart as well, it is this, We are Not Alone. Through spreading hope, love and light any we can as individuals through the experience of overcoming our own struggles and pain, the world can truly become a better place, one human at a time. I thank you Ms. Sienna for your brave and bold spirit to stick up for us siblings who are no stranger to those who feel forgotten. You remind me what we are all fighting for. God Bless You!"

Rubi Galarza

"I am a first-generation college graduate. I graduated from the University of California Berkeley in 2014 where I majored in Integrative Biology. I am currently in my fourth and final year of medical school at the University of California Davis School of Medicine. This fall I will be applying to Emergency Medicine residency. My dreams of becoming an Emergency Medicine physician stem from a culmination of experiences including my upbringing in my hometown of Salinas, California, the death of my brother, and my dream to serve vulnerable and underserved populations, including our military veterans. Thank you to the Sienna Hicks Gold Star Sibling Grant for supporting my dreams of becoming a doctor.

My brother Vilmar Galarza was a proud American soldier. He was an exemplary brother and role model, a loving and caring son, and an altruistic human being. In fact, it was his altruism that led him to serve in the United States Army. Vilmar knew all too well the risks involved with serving our country, yet nothing and no one could convince him not to enlist. He felt it was his duty to serve and to give back to the country that provided my immigrant family with countless opportunities. He took pride in the work he did, and he enjoyed serving alongside his military brothers and sisters."

David Griffith

"I am the Gold-Star brother of Major Samuel M. Griffith, USMC, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on December 14th, 2011. Following my brother's passing, I felt an intense call to serve my nation. In 2017, I enrolled in Penn States Army ROTC program and would later receive my commission in May 2020. Throughout my grief journey, I found strength in my faith in my God and gained the ability to empathize with others. Now, as an officer, I am working towards becoming an Army chaplain so that I can give back to my nation and those who sacrifice so much for our freedoms.

My brother Sam always dreamt of flying jets. In 1997, He commissioned out of Penn State University into the US Marine Corps as an officer. After completing the Basic School, Infantry Officer Course, and Naval flight training, he attained his dream of becoming an aviator. Sam loved flying almost as much as he loved serving his Marines. Eventually, he joined the Special Warfare community as a Forward Air Controller and training officer. In 2011, Sam deployed with his unit to Afghanistan to ensure his Marines would return home safely. He was later killed in action on December 14th, 2011, by small arms fire while saving his men in Helmand Province, Afghanistan."

Delana Obenauer

"Hi! I’m Delana and I’m 19 and an incoming sophomore at the University of Southern California where I’m majoring in biology and minoring in German. I absolutely love my college and being in Los Angeles because I’m from a very small town in Missouri. In my free time I love reading, listening to music, hanging out with my friends, traveling, and thrifting. I’m extremely grateful that I got this scholarship after the passing of my older brother Ethan in February, as adjusting was honestly really hard. He was 22 when he passed and was a member of the Air Force and loved being a part of it. He loved cars and knew basically everything about them and could tell what type of car one was if he heard the engine rev. He was also genuinely one of the nicest people I’ve ever known and he always remembered the little things about people and knew how to make them happy. Thank you so much for reading and giving me another chance to talk about my brother!"

Jim Levulis

"I live in the Albany, NY area and am pursuing a forest resource management graduate certificate from Paul Smith’s College. I enjoy hiking, rock climbing and skiing. I have summited Mt. Rainier and the Grand Teton, while closing in on all 46 Adirondack High Peaks. I am a graduate of Syracuse University and an Eagle Scout. I believe my current educational pursuits can play a role in conserving the world’s natural treasures, while responsibly providing public access to them.

My older brother John always wanted to be a soldier. Growing up in Eden, NY, John was a Varsity letterman in soccer, basketball and lacrosse and was heavily involved in the community. John completed Army ROTC training at Niagara University and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in 2012. John served with the 2nd Battalion 87th Infantry Regiment of the 10th Mountain Division at Ft. Drum, NY. A platoon leader, John completed a 9-month tour in Afghanistan earning a Bronze Star and a Combat Infantry Badge. In May 2015, while en route to training at Ft. Dix, NJ, the Humvee John was in was struck by a civilian vehicle. Days later, John died from injuries suffered in the accident."

THANK YOU BIG DAN

A special thank you to Big Dan of American Legion Post 574 in Hudson Falls NY!

Big Dan did a Gold Star Sibling Beard Challenge for me which raised and donated over $6,000 by challenging him to color his beard gold and add 22 gold stars for a month if he raised his goal of $5000. He exceeded that goal. He also helped me personally give out one of the Grants to our local recipient, Jim.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Thank you so much to all who have helped make this dream a possibility. Each donation, small or big, allowed us to help these 7 individual Gold Star Siblings with tuition assistance. Thank you to the Legions, Legion Riders, Big Dan, and all the other organizations and individuals who helped make this dream a reality.

Thank you to my parents for pushing me to create this Grant and helping me stay on top of it. Without you both, I literally would not be here today or have made it this far.

Thank you to my Big Bro Macoy for always pushing me to better myself and keep fighting the good fight. Even though you're no longer here physically, you're still taking care of me and watching over me spiritually through my journey of life and grief. I miss you so much and it has been so difficult to keep going without you but I'm carrying on your legacy of helping others and that helps make each day a little lighter, even on the heaviest ones. I love you.

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Blog

The 1st Annual Sienna Hicks Gold Star Sibling Grant

Author: Sienna Hicks

2023 GRANT RECIPIENTS

Lauren Williams

Harley Franson

Angela Hernandez

Rubi Galarza

David Griffith

Delana Obenauer

Jim Levulis

THANK YOU BIG DAN

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Categories

Blog

The 1st Annual Sienna Hicks Gold Star Sibling Grant

Author: Sienna Hicks

​2023 GRANT RECIPIENTS

Lauren Williams

​Harley Franson

​Angela Hernandez

​Rubi Galarza

​David Griffith

​Delana Obenauer

​Jim Levulis

THANK YOU BIG DAN

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT

Categories

2023 GRANT RECIPIENTS

Harley Franson

Angela Hernandez

Rubi Galarza

David Griffith

Delana Obenauer

Jim Levulis