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thinking a lot about what patriotism means to us. I certainly have, and I've been thinking in particular about the men and women who put their lives on the line to serve this country in one way or another every single day, like law enforcement and firefighters or EMS workers who are often the first to show up in an emergency at people's lowest moments, those who run toward danger, risking their own lives for the sake of saving other people. And here's someone you should know, Sergeant Elio Diaz, born in Cuba, Diaz immigrated to the United States, and then he settled in Miami. He joined the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office in Florida in 2013. And in December of 2024, he was shot and killed in what was supposed to be a routine traffic
the shooting, Sergeant Diaz spent more than an hour talking to the driver who shot him, trying to help sort out his insurance so that his truck was not going to be towed. That was the KIND OF PERSON THAT SERGEANT DIAZ WAS, HE LEFT BEHIND A WIFE AND FOUR CHILDREN, AND THIS INDEPENDENCE DAY HIS FAMILY AND DOZENS MORE FAMILIES AND FIRST RESPONDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES GOT A LITTLE RELIEF THE NONPROFIT TUNNELS TO TOWERS WHICH WAS FOUNDED AFTER THE 9-11 TERRORIST ATTACKS IN MEMORY OF FDNY FIREFIGHTER STEPHEN SILLER IS PROVIDING MORTGAGE FREE HOMES TO 30 FAMILIES ACROSS 19 STATES YESENIA GONZALEZ, SERGEANT DIAZ'S WIFE SAYS QUOTE HAVING A MORTGAGE FREE HOME MEANS MY CHILDREN WILL
ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME NO MATTER WHERE LIFE TAKES THEM OR WHAT CHALLENGES THEY MAY FACE THEY WILL ALWAYS HAVE A SAFE PLACE TO RETURN TO, A PLACE FILLED WITH LOVE MEMORIES AND THE LEGACY THAT THEIR FATHER BUILT FOR THEM. I AM NOW JOINED BY NAI LUNA, THE DAUGHTER OF SERGEANT DIAZ AND HIS WIFE, YESENIA GONZALEZ. IT'S SO NICE TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. NAI, WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR DAD? DAD WAS A GENUINE FAMILY MAN. HE WOULD GIVE THE SHIRT OFF HIS BACK TO ANYONE. AND HE WAS JUST ALL ABOUT SPREADING LOVE.
HE loved life so much. He enjoyed just waking up, going to work. You know, he was more than just the badge. He was more than just, you know, Sergeant Elio Diaz. He was a man that wore many hats and, um, yeah. Yesenia, what is your message to other families that might have recently lost a loved one in the line of duty like your family did? Um, obviously that's a very hard question because I'm still navigating through grief. But um, there's hope. Um, we don't walk this line by ourself and tunnel to towers foundation has meant a lot to us, the community.
Um, we're not left behind, especially wives, children. Just keep faith and hope. There's the hope for us. I so admire your ability through the grief to speak out to us and about this, because I do know that so many other people can find strength in what you are doing, Yesenia.
And your husband immigrated to this country as a child and he chose to go into public service. Tell us a little bit about him. What went into that decision for him and as a family? And what was it like to witness the devotion that your husband had for this country, as an immigrant to it? He loved it. I can share too, right, on so many stories. especially with the kiddos right go ahead it was always his dream really to become police officer it started when he was young his grandfather was in the service so he saw that role model you
know growing up and yeah it's something he always want to pursue. And mom and dad sat down and they decided, okay, this is it. Like whatever you want to do, I'll support you. And mom's always had his back through everything 13, I think when dad graduated the police academy and we just always had his back really. And he's, it didn't matter if he came home and people would say the nastiest things to him, you know, or treat them like he was like something on the bottom of your shoe.
Like he would still went out there and did his job. And he was all about trying to help someone. He, if he arrested someone, he'd sit there and offer them a cup of coffee and be like, talk to me. You know, he gave them an EAR, A SHOULDER TO LEAN ON REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY WERE, WHAT THEY'VE DONE, WHAT THEY'VE COMMITTED. THAT WAS HIS GOAL, WAS TO CHANGE SOMEONE'S LIFE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT SOMETHING I'VE GOT, GO AHEAD, Sorry. No, no, I was just repeating what she was just stating that's what he was. He was there to serve and protect. And he loved this country as well.
He was very patriotic. He really was. And also like our son just turned 19 and he just finished graduating the fire academy. So we also, our family has always been a first responder. It's nice. It's nice for him seeing my son also giving back to the community and following in the footsteps of his dad, that legacy he left behind. The tunnels to towers was formed as I mentioned in the wake of the 9 11 attacks. And for me, it was such a formative experience because they happened during my first week of college at New York University downtown. And I saw first responders carry
out just the most like your husband, the most extraordinary acts of heroism and patriotism, even if they were small ones. And to me, it exemplified exactly what means to be an American, not the size of it, not whether you were born here or not, just whether or not you were willing to hold out a hand to a stranger. How do you see that patriotism today? Holy sweet. It's just evolved. Like, it's so nice to see that there's still people out there that do love this country, that still serve for this country, that selflessly give.
I think we've entered a time where a lot of people are kind of selfish and it's really good to see those that aren't, that are still going back. Kindness from strangers, you know, it's okay to love someone and give them your support even if you don't know them. And to have different opinions. Like everybody can have different opinion but just to respect and to love I think that's what we shall be doing. Thank you again to you both Ni Luna and Yesenia Gonzalez for your bravery frankly in being here today and sharing so much
about your beautiful family. We will be right back thanks so much. Appreciate it, thank you.
