Photo By Andrea Culletto | Camp Darby servicemembers attended a WWII living tribute event on Oct. 2 at the...... read more read more
FLORENCE, Italy – Camp Darby servicemembers attended a WWII living tribute event on Oct. 2 at the Florence American Cemetery. This event was hosted by “Be the Difference-Never Again,” whose mission is “to teach about individuals who risked their lives to save others and inspire people to take action.”
At the event, which commemorated 80 years since the WWII Northern Italian Campaign, the organization positioned participants beside a fallen Soldier’s grave to create a visual connection between past and present and nurture a poignant moment of reflection.
According to Be the Difference co-founder, author and producer Elizabeth Bettina Nicolosi, the organization has sponsored other initiatives honoring WWII veterans, as well as police officers, firefighters, holocaust rescuers and even ordinary citizens who have saved the lives of others.
The organization also partners with educational institutions across the country to share these stories with our nation’s youth and emphasize, as stated in their mission, that “each person, every action, large or small can make a difference.” College students involved in the program spoke at the Oct. 2 event, where they shared the personal stories of four WWII Soldiers who are buried at the Florence American Cemetery.
Bettina Nicolosi founded the organization, along with co-founders Robert Shackelford and Michael Wright, after being inspired by the sacrifices of others. Her father and brother were both FDNY firefighters. “The only reason my brother is alive is because his truck arrived at the Twin Towers 10 minutes after they fell,” Bettina Nicolosi said. She saw the attack in person and was deeply affected by the loss of friends and her former boss and mentor. “To this day, I think of him all the time,” she said. “He would have just loved the Oct. 2 event.”
Bettina Nicolosi’s goal is to honor those who have sacrificed for others, while inspiring today’s generations to do the same. “If you are not indifferent – things can be different,” she said.
| Date Taken: | 10.02.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.12.2024 08:55 |
| Story ID: | 484727 |
| Location: | IT |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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