Honoring Our Fallen has been a life saver for our family. When my son was killed in action 10/12/12 Honoring Our Fallen came alongside our family and has been supporting us ever since. For me personally the mother’s retreats have been the most healing thing I have done since my son was killed. Building a community with other moms who are walking this same painful road has helped me to survive and then to be there for other moms who are just beginning this road. My daughter in law has built community at the widows retreats and my grandson has been remembered and loved on through the many children’s programs. I am forever grateful to Laura Herzog and her organization for doing what they do. Every mother, widow or child of a fallen soldier would tell you the same. Attached are photos of my son, Thomas MacPherson, his family before his last deployment, his wife and son today and Tommy and I. Thank you for letting me share. Didi MacPerson
Honoring Our Fallen is such an amazing organization. They are caring, thoughtful, and kind angels from heaven who give their very best to serve grieving families. They are organized, professional, and detail-oriented. My nephew was a fallen soldier and Laura and her team ensured that he was transported home this past March with the utmost dignity, respect, and honor.
My son was a former Cpl in the Marine Corps serving in the International Legion defending against Russia when he was killed after almost 16 months in theater. Laura helped Ian get nearly the same full military honors as if he was killed while on active duty. Laura helped navigate the complicated interactions between the Ukrainian authorities and the VA in returning Ian, something we were not emotionally prepared to due.
Please support Laura and this crucial organization in Honoring our Fallen.
Dad of Ian Frank Tortorici
I'm a Gold Star Father and Honoring Our Fallen played a huge role in helping me and my family bring our Hero home and deal with all the logistics.
A friend of mine recently lost his Son who was fighting on behalf of the Ukraine Legion in the Ukraine. I asked Laura Herzog to contact the Father to help him get his Son back to the U.S. and assist with all the logistics of a Hero's Welcome Home. She and Honoring Our Fallen did an outstanding job helping him with this process.
This is a great Organization with outstanding Staff and I support them 100%.
Laura and her team provide amazing support to the families of our fallen soldiers. I have worked with her many times and I am amazed at the level of commitment that her organization exudes. What a blessing this organization is to so many.
Honoring Our Fallen is an exceptional organization that has helped so many families during the most difficult time of their lives. In particular, Laura was instrumental in the support she provided to our family when we lost our nephew. She was available at all times and not only helped my sister with arranging a beautiful ceremony honoring my nephew, but she was there every step of the way providing emotional support to us. Her compassion and commitment to helping hurting families is invaluable. Words are not enough to express how appreciated she is by our family.
First, I would like to say how grateful we are for your ministry!!!
It was the hardest part of our lives when my sister received the devastating news that she lost her only son, Luc Yasuda, US Navy, while stationed in Georgia.
During the period of grief and mourning, our lives were in so much chaos and confusion, Laura was there to provide a set of directions that helped structure the time surrounding my nephew’s death.
From providing transportation to taking us to and from LAX, going through the security checkpoint, to capturing the moments through her videos and photos when they brought Luc home - our hero home, and honoring him meant so much to me and my family.
We appreciate all that you do!! We will never forget the help and support that “Honoring our Fallen” ministry have provided us during the hardest time of our lives.
We cannot thank you enough for the burden that you have taken off our plate.
May our heavenly Father continue to bless your ministry because our family needs you!!! Other families need you!!
With a grateful heart,
Gina G.
I am very grateful for everything that Laura/Honoring Our Fallen has done to help me through my sons death, healing and keeping my sons memories alive. She is a true angel worker. I am forever grateful, she was there for my darkest saddest moments and grieving the loss of my son she helped with his angel flight, drove my family to the funeral and memorial when we were crying to hard too, fed us lunch provided, tissues, bottled waters. and what a blessing it is to be able to go on healing retreats and meet other mothers going through the same grief and loss and learn of much needed resources. I was given beautiful dog tags and a moment video of my son and much more very meaningful keepsakes. This non profit truly helps and genuinely cares. And truly honor those who served our country. I highly recommend this "GREAT Non Profit" as they do very great things for many grieving families. Thank You Laura and all of you kind donors out there, you are what is helping me keep going through dark times.
Honoring our Fallen has helped my son and I enjoy holidays again. When my son was younger he almost forgot about the spirit of Christmas due to his dad not being around. They have helped having kids getting together to just like them and knowing they are not alone. For myself, able to get with other widows and helping the cope with their loss and mine as well. Thank you Honoring our Fallen for being there after everyone has gone on with their lives.
On August 26th 2021, my little brother Lance Corporal Kareem Nikoui was killed in Kabul, Afghanistan while doing evacuation efforts. My families world broke that day and we were so lost. Honoring our fallen entered our lives just a few days later and helped us navigate the heart ache of bringing my brother, funeral arrangements, and pushing through life after. A year later honoring our fallen is still involved in our lives, and is a constant reminder that his death and life will not be forgotten. Honoring our fallen helped us with travel, funeral arrangements, photography, and were there for us emotionally. Laura is always available anytime we need her. She made it clear that any of our needs she will tend to, and has done so multiple time. Although I lost a part of me when my brother died, I gained a life long friend and new member of my family. I thought after the funeral she would disappear like everyone else did, but she and honoring our fallen have never left our side. When my older brother killed himself less than a year later Laura was there to offer support and allowed me to vent to her in the honoring our fallen office. The office is a sanctuary to me, and it is a place I know I can turn to for support the office is a reminder that our fallen will never be forgotten, it is covered in pictures and the names of those who sacrificed themselves for us. I don’t know how honoring our fallen works with families in mourning. How everyday they work with people going through the worst days of their lives. How they push on seeing so much pain. But I am so grateful that they do. They stepped up and gave me the support I didn’t even know I needed. I am so lucky to have met this organization and to have received the support and love from them.
It all started one fateful day when my wife Kathy saw a minivan in a parking lot shopping center wrapped in stars and stripes, military emblems, and the words Honoring Our Fallen. This invoked strong feelings since our older son was and still is serving in the US Army. She spoke to Laura on how to get involved, and that was the beginning of being a part of a great organization. That was 6+ years ago.
With this marvelous organization, it is truly a family affair for us. My twin boys and I have joined Kathy years ago to be involved in the various events, doing our part to contribute. It’s worthwhile because we love to support, but we also know how important it is to all the families out there.
It is amazing how Honoring Our Fallen has helped all the families that have lost loved ones. It is with great admiration on how Laura continues to serve all the families, tirelessly giving her time and energy to helping all. Truly Amazing! The secret, I believe, is that God gives all the Blessing that she and the organization deserves.
Glenn, Kathy, Dylan, & Austin Gaba
There’s no words that can describe how grateful I am with Laura Herzog
From Honoring our fallen, She has been my greatest support since loosing my Son.
Being able to meet with mothers that can understand my pain has been so supportive, we wouldn’t be able to connect if it wasn’t for this non profit organization.
I have worked in a professional capacity with Laura Herzog for the last several years. I have never met a person who is more selfless and truly passionate toward honoring the fallen members of our US military. Mrs. Herzog's compassion for the family members, who are left behind is unrivaled. As a veteran and father of two service members, I am humbled to participate in the Honoring Our Fallen program and extremely proud of the work Mrs. Herzog has undertaken to honor the memory of our men and women in uniform.
Sean Harden
My husband SPC/SRA passed 9/11/12. I had a 8yr old and 8m old and was lost. We were blessed to have met Laura during Honoring our fallen Disney Christmas. I can’t express the first time my daughters eyes lite up. We all felt like we finally had the support and love and felling like we were with “our people”. Ones that didn’t judge us but knew what we were going through. It was ok to cry sad and happy tears. She loves us all and we love her. Her team is compassionate and understand. With donors help she is able to do so many amazing things to families that feel like their life has fallen apart and they don’t know where to turn. They are right by our sides and a phone call away. With donations families know they are not alone and we get to meet families just like us and we have all become family. The donors will never truly know what an impact they make on our lives. To give to such an amazing organization that through our darkest time we are not alone should warm your heart. Laura and her team give with an open heart wanting nothing in return other than to know we are ok and to one day see us smile again. I am beyond grateful for every sponsor/donor who gives with their heart to help so many who lost so much.
Imagine the abruptness of your loved one being ripped from your life. Imagine having to navigate the government, mortuaries, hundreds of people who want to tell you how sorry they are and how much they loved ____.
It’s impossible. It’s unfathomable. Until it happens to you.
Laura and Honoring Our Fallen were there from the start to help. In any way they could. During this amazingly unimaginable time.
It was Monday, 10 July 2017. Our family had just returned from the Big Island of Hawaii after a week of celebration. We were all on a high and had just had a fabulous time together. We knew Chad was traveling for training when word of a plane going down in Mississippi was received.
Some knew, most of us didn’t. It was the confirmation of the knock on the door and phone calls that followed. It is still a blur and yet so vivid.
Honoring Our Fallen was there…anything we needed. Additional resources. A friendly voice. A shoulder.
Months and even now, years later, Laura is not only a resource, but a very close friend. She traveled with us to Mississippi on the one-year anniversary to document the unveiling of the memorial dedicated to “our boys”.
We are blessed, in this tragedy, to have connected with Honoring Our Fallen.
On 9/27/2019, we lost SSG Roy Joel Mejares unexpectantly: my best friend, brother from another mother and uncle to my three boys. Where the federal departments and employees failed, Laura and her team stepped in and took over everything, from flying him back to the mainland from Hawaii, arranging transport for family and friends, and escorting him to Riverside County.
Laura and her team are genuinely compassionate, humble and ready to serve at a moments notice. I am privileged to know her and will continue to support this great organization.
amazing to see this lady Be there for every family request possible! Such love for those that protect and preserve our freedom. Truly an amazing lady with nothing but love in her heart for those that have fallen. Just follow her and see for yourself how amazing this organization she started is. Donations are welcomed but never any pressure on followers to donate. No unsolicited text or emails just pictures of those that honors and serves.
August 4, 2017 my world shattered. My 20 year old son was killed in a training accident. A lot of what went out is a blur. The details are blurred but I can tell how I felt.
Laura made sure that Cody was taken care of like her own. From LAX to Des Moines, IA Laura was the mama bear that took care of everyone. Cody’s high school friend Alex had the honor to escort him back to Eldora. That is a huge responsibility for a 20 year old Marine. Alex told me that he was so thankful that Laura was there to help him. The videos and photos that Laura has given me is breathtaking. Laura has made it so that it’s like we were there and saw everything for Cody’s final trip home.
Laura has become a very important person in my life the past two years. Laura has even encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone and go on a Gold Star Mother’s retreat.
I have never met anyone with as much determination and love that Laura has. She is truly an angel that walks among us.
Honoring our fallen is a one of a kind, life-changing organization. My late husband Sgt Trevor Johnson was KIA on 01/27/2009, leaving behind myself and our two children. I had little to no support and never felt like anyone understood what we were going through. Fast forward and we move out to sunny SoCal, that is where we found Laura and her team of amazing volunteers. HOF is the best and only organization that we interact with. It has been great for my children to meet other kids just like them. It has been awesome for me to spend time with and develop a bond with some amazing widows who know exactly what I am going through. Between the widow retreats, family parties, presents from Santa, Disney, the back to school get together, and just always having someone there for you no matter how broken and alone you feel is amazing. We are forever in Laura and HOF's debt. Thank you for all you do and for never letting sacrifice go unnoticed!
Honoring Our Fallen had been a light of healing and organization that's given so much to those in need after the loss of their hero. Even after 25 yrs of the tragic loss of my father, I could only wish we had a group like this one! Laura has a gift of healing and follows her calling with fierce passion and unending love for all that she serves. While I have the privilege to serve as a volunteer for these wonderful people at fundraising events to raise funds for the hero missions to support the families along the military casualty person for the dignified transfer of their hero remains, funerals, and memorials. Each different and unique for those loved ones. It is, also, my unique experience and privelesge of knowing some of their pain. So, the gift of healing comes from others, and with Honoring Our Fallen the continued support for the weeks, months and years after continue with many programs and events such as Mom's and widow retreats, children's Christmas toy program, Back to school supplies giveaway, Gold Star family dinners, annual children'sbirthday, Disney Christmas visit, and on going and growing with the help of generous donors, selfless volunteers, and spreading awareness of this important and amazing organization!
Honoring our Fallen has meant so much to me in my healing process. Laura brings the families of the fallen together to have time to encourage and share with one another. I cherish each time get the be a part of an Honoring our fallen event.
My son Cpl. Christopher G. Singer, USMC serving OEF in Afghanistan and was KIA 1/21/12. Honoring our Fallen stepped in and supported his funeral, our family & continues ❤ thru Mom's retreats & Children's functions for my granddaughter (Christopher's daughter).
January 10th, 2018 we lost our son who was serving in the army. Honoring Our Fallen came to help us, along with the army officer, to help us cope with grief and heartache we were going through. Laura Herzog, the women who came from Honoring Our Fallen, transported the extra family members who came to the airport to meet our son's arrival. Pictures and videos were taken for us by Laura. She also walked us through what was needed for the funeral service, standing by us the whole way, always ready to lend a hand- or a shoulder. Throughout the year this group offers services and outings to help families deal with the loss of their child. I, myself, went on one of the Gold Star Mother's retreat. They have spouse retreats and several things for the children of the fallen. At a moments notice Laura is off to serve whoever is need. There are many families who are working through their grief a whole lot easier because of Laura and Honoring Our Fallen. If there is someone who is looking for a terrific cause to donate to, I highly recommend this one.
Honoring Our Fallen has a very special place in my families heart. After loading my husband I was lost. My kids hardly smiled. We went on the Disney Christmas and the smiles and memories we made during a very hard time was priceless. The compassion and love from Laura and her amazing team has made this heartbreaking path for us easier. We are surrounded by people who love us and know what we are going through. The retreats and events make you feel special. There truly isn’t enough words to express all that this organization does for us!!!!
Honoring Our Fallen has provided me with life long friends who are going through what I am going through, people who I can cry with and they know exactly what I am feeling. Without HOF I would not have been able to make these connections and I would have felt very alone. I love Laura very much, her and her organization have been a light in my life after my biggest light was taken from me. The loss of a child is never easy, nor will it ever be easy for me, but I have my HOF family and I thank God that they exist. I highly recommend HOF they are an outstanding non-profit!
I have served as the Marine Corps CACO for numerous families in the Los Angeles, Riverside and Orange counties. Honoring our fallen is the first place I call to help me work through civilian coordination across multiple states. As a CACO you will need a helping hand and besides your attention to the family Honor Our Fallen with remain with the family for life.
I’m a Gold Star wife and family. Honoring our fallen (Laura) and the many great donations that are made help give our family an occasional break from the chaos and be just a regular family. They are moments we will always cherish!!!
Jan 16 2018 was the absolute worst day of my life. I don’t say that lightheartedly... it was like a scene from the most horrible movie ever imagined. Let me set the scene for you, it was approximately 5pm CST, my husband and I were laying on the couch with a puke can between us, and I had just ordered Pizza Hut for the kids for dinner because I couldn’t walk away from the puke can. Through a broken corner of the blinds in my living room I saw what appeared to be someone coming to the door, and I comment about what kind of crazy person would come within 100 feet of our flu infested house. Before I even completed my sentence there was someone pounding on my door with a force I had never heard before. Little did I know that opening that door would change my life forever. On my snow covered porch stood two Marines in dress uniform. They must have had the wrong house... right? Wrong... they were in fact at the correct house. They came into my living room where I was told that my son had been killed by another Marine. The days, weeks, and even months after that are mostly a blur. Nearly two weeks after notification my son returned home to Wisconsin via aircraft. On that aircraft was Laura, from Honoring Our Fallen, a long with 3 Marine escorts. Laura was a shinning light in the darkness! She recorded video, took pictures, and was genuinely there for myself and my family in the darkest of days imaginable as we told my son goodbye for the final time on earth. BUT, Laura’s support did not end when she returned to California! She has continued to be a source of support through the last 19 months since my son’s death. She holds retreats for gold star mother’s, (which I had the pleasure of attending last year), wives, events for children, and so much more! I can never ever repay this organization for what they did for me and my family!
Our family volunteers with this wonderful organization!! They do so much for the families of their fallen heroes! We are honored to serve in any way we can! Thank you for all you do. The Gaba Family.
Honoring our Fallen is an exceptional nonprofit organization dedicated to ministering to the families of fallen service men and women. Founder and CEO, Laura Herzog works tirelessly to develop programs that will help the families to honor their loved ones and create bonds with others who have had similar experiences. Monthly children's activities are planned to bring together children whose lives have been impacted. Widows and Mom's retreats are held several times a year - in a nurturing environment, the ladies bond together and support one another. This organization relies entirely on donations and volunteer support.