A Gold Star Father on Loss, Service, and His Son’s Legacy
Our American Stories
iHeartPodcasts
4.6 • 817 Ratings
🗓️ 7 May 2026
⏱️ 22 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this episode of Our American Stories, on August 26, 2021, a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate in Kabul killed 13 American service members. Among them was Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz. His father, Mark Schmitz, became part of what is known as a Gold Star family, a term used for the parents and loved ones of those killed in military service.
In the months that followed, he chose to carry forward his son’s legacy, founding The Freedom 13, a nonprofit focused on supporting military families and honoring the fallen. Here to share the story of his son’s life and the legacy that continues in his name is Mark Schmitz.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:02.6 | Guaranteed Human. |
| 0:04.3 | Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. |
| 0:07.7 | Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand |
| 0:11.8 | new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. |
| 0:15.5 | Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the |
| 0:20.3 | biology of taunons and wampas |
| 0:22.2 | on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. |
| 0:28.3 | Listen to Stuff to Bo Your Mind on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your |
| 0:33.5 | podcasts. |
| 0:44.2 | Music your podcasts. This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories. |
| 0:48.8 | On August 26, 2021, 13 American service members were killed in a suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan, |
| 0:57.3 | along with more than 150 Afghan civilians. Among them was Marine Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz. |
| 1:04.5 | He was just 20 years old. Here to tell the story of Jared's life, and the legacy he left |
| 1:10.3 | behind is his father, Mark Schmitz. |
| 1:13.9 | Take it away, Mark. |
| 1:21.1 | Jared, from a very young age, got along with literally everyone that he ever came in contact with. |
| 1:28.3 | I have been racking my brain for years, and I cannot think of a single enemy my son ever had. |
| 1:35.3 | From the age of eight, he knew he wanted to be in the Marine Corps. |
| 1:40.3 | You know, at that age, I joke with him. I said, when I was eight, I wanted to be a sniper, an astronaut, and a trash man. |
| 1:47.5 | So, you kind of just take it for what it is at that age. |
| 1:51.2 | But it never went away, you know. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from iHeartPodcasts, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of iHeartPodcasts and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.