Sergeant Mario Nelson – a Humble Haitian Warrior was born in the capital city of Haiti - Port-au-Prince, he was a hard-working, patient, loving, powerful, strong, family-oriented, and “less talk/more action” kind of man. He was tall, dark, and handsome. In 2001, after the 9/11 attacks, he volunteered to join the recovery efforts at Ground Zero in New York City. After the attack, he decided to go active duty. He practiced his due diligence, asking questions, doing the research, and praying about his decision.

 

"I need to fight for my country. I need to help my country.” Even though he was from Haiti, and loved his Haitian culture, he also saw the United States of America as his country because of the opportunities he received." In January 2006, Sergeant Nelson was deployed to Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division in Friedberg, Germany. On October 1, 2006, Sergeant Nelson died from injuries sustained when a rocket-propelled grenade detonated near his vehicle in Hit, Iraq.

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After tragic loss of her husband, Mecca and her daughter Mia, forged new pathways of strength in order to conquer life moving forward. As a Goldstar Spouse, Mecca began training in martial arts to cope with the unfortunate and unexpected loss of her husband. While never imagining enduring this loss would be possible, Mecca began channelling her energy into creating a wellness program that could benefit others. Mecca was able to draw from her experience in yoga, martial arts and massage therapy combining these modalities offering a comprehensive model of wellness. Consistent practice of these modalities allowed Mecca’s students to feel calm and at ease with an overall sense of well-being. 

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On October 1, 2020 Mecca began Humble Haitian Warrior Inc Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Where she is dedicated to empowering and uplifting Gold Star families through connection, community, and creativity. We are devoted to destigmatizing the trauma, destroying racism, and closing the gap between Goldstar Families. As a Goldstar spouse, Mecca is aware of the numerous problems one can encounter when you lose your loved one. Not everyone is fortunate to receive hands on support, guidance, or knowledge on the next steps to take in this unexpected transition. Humble Haitian Warrior Inc targets problems of awareness, trauma, lack of environmental community and the gap amongst Goldstar families and other Armed Forces Families. 

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