Project: FALLEN HERO

LOCAL MUSTANG ENTHUSIASTS UNITE TO RESTORE CAR IN HONOR OF FALLEN SPECIAL FORCES MAJOR JEFF CALERO

Boston - A team of local Mustang enthusiasts has united to restore the 1988 Ford Mustang GT, belonging to fallen U.S. Army, Special Forces Maj. Jeff Calero, as a mobile tribute to the Special Forces Major. Maj. Calero was killed in action by an IED October 29, 2007 while on a combat reconnaissance patrol in Kajaki, Afghanistan. He had planned to restore the car himself upon his return from active duty. The project was founded by Sgt. Fabio Falorni, of Methuen. Sgt. Falorni is a veteran of two tours of duty in Iraq. He is presently assigned to Reserve Duty at the Army National Guard Armory in Hudson, MA. He came across the Mustang belonging to Maj. Calero on October 29, 2008 while picking up supplies for his unit at the Army National Guard Amory in Springfield, MA.

Sgt. Falori saw the car sitting in a fenced in area behind the Armory. As a long time Mustang enthusiast, it piqued his curiosity as to why the car was there. When he inquired about it, he was told about how the car belonged to Maj. Calero who had been killed in action a year ago to that day. Upon Maj. Calero’s passing, the family did not know what to do with the car so it remained at the Springfield Armory where it had been parked since he deployed to Afghanistan in 2006. Sgt. Falorni was informed that Maj. Calero had often talked about his plans for the car upon his return from active duty. He was also told that the Commander of the Armory was looking to have the car towed away since the family didn’t claim it. Sgt. Falorni requested permission from the Commander and the Maj. Calero's family to restore the car. He also reached out to his fellow Mustang enthusiasts to recruit their help in restoring the Mustang. After 10 anxious days of waiting, he was granted permission to come and pick up the car.

Ed Yessaian, of Tewksbury and Carol Meyer, of Marlborough, amongst many other Mustang enthusiasts, responded to Sgt. Falorni's request for help. Together they formed the team that now leads the restoration project. Carol Meyer and Sgt. Falorni traveled to the Springfield Armory on November 16, 2008 to retrieve the car with her enclosed trailer. They met with Sfc. Ed Diaz at the Springfield Armory that day, who spoke fondly of his friend Maj. Calero and his "illogical devotion" to his Mustang. Sfc. Diaz expressed his and the family's sincerest gratitude for the undertaking of the project. It is thru Sfc. Diaz that Sgt. Falorni was advised of the specific plans Maj. Calero had for restoring his car. As they pulled away from the Armory with Maj. Calero's car safely secured in the trailer, Sfc. Diaz saluted them. Carol and Sgt. Falorni were both profoundly humbled by the magnitude of the project they were about to undertake.

Maj. Calero's Mustang was delivered to Sgt. Falorni's home in Methuen, where the initial prep work was started. A planning meeting was quickly organized and plans were laid out with the help of Ed Yessaian to coordinate the work to be done on the car.

To help promote the project, the team leaders, Sgt. Falorni, Ed Yessaian and Carol Meyer decided to enter the car as a display at the Town Fair Tire World of Wheels car show, that is being held January 9-11th at the Bayside Expo Center in Boston. The Mustang, in its unrestored condition, and the team will be on hand along with members of Maj. Calero's unit to talk about the project and honor Maj. Calero for his service to his country. They will be selling t-shirts and wrist bands to help raise funds for the completion of the project.

Donations are also being accepted thru Citizen’s Bank. Checks can be made payable to Project Fallen Hero. All proceeds will go to the restoration of the car. Any remaining funds will be given to the Maj. Jeff Calero Scholarship Fund.


http://www.projectfallenhero.com/

Thanks for the info SC......

this brought a tear to my eye as i read this.......these types of moving stories constantly remind me how sincere the human soul is. may we never forget the bravery and sacrifices so many have given to give us the freedom we have today. and thank you to those that support the fallen, injured, and fighting. this is an AWESOME tribute!!!!

THIS IS AN AMAZING ACT OF KINDNESS AND PATRIOTISM. That Maj has made the ultimate sacrifice for his country and his its citizens. For this I salute him and if it will help even in slightest I am planning on helping donating everything I can afford to and I strongly encourage everyone else to do the same. I say this becuase I have seen first hand the effect that losing a loved on and solder has on the family many times and any "light at the end of the tunnel" is a comfort to them.

and thank you SC for bringing us this story.

Not a problem at all. It really touches you in the heart and soul when people will reach out to someone they don't know to honor them like this.