Today’s Star Spangled Salute posthumously honors Navy Veteran Mary Apper. Mary was damage control officer in the Navy who fought in the Afghanistan War on an Army assignment. Her service included training correctional officers in Afghanistan, going on patrols, and training military personnel in survival skills. Mary’s parents say she was a compassionate woman who always put others first. Mary even pulled a stranger out of a crashed car on her way to a chemotherapy appointment. Mary also gave her Navy retirement flag to a fellow PBR rider who was battling cerebral palsy. Mary’s fellow Professional Bull Riders supported Apper through a tough battle with cancer by starting a “Buck Cancer” campaign, renaming a top bull after her, and renaming one of its bull calves “Apper’s Legacy” in her memory. As a young girl she earned top awards in the Girl Scouts and recently she volunteered at BraveHearts, teaching fellow Veterans how to ride horses. Apper died of cancer a week ago, she was 39 years old. Here’s to a life well lived Mary and THANK YOU for your service.
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