Veronica Ortiz Riveras worst nightmare came true Nov. 16, 2010, when her doorbell rang at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Three men were standing outside: two U.S. Marines and one man wearing a U.S. Navy uniform. At first, she didnt know why they were there, but reality set in when one of them said, "We need to speak with you regarding your husband. May we come inside?"

In this heartfelt story about grief, family, and appreciating our nations heroes, she recalls hearing the devastating news that her husband, Javier Ortiz Rivera, had been killed in Afghanistan by an...