Best Gift We Could Have Given

June 4, 2021

“I have several memories of how Marines’ Memorial has served me and my family, and other service members still serving, throughout the years the following is my most meaningful. In 2012 my wife’s daughter Rochelle was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and began chemotherapy. The therapy was taking a toll on her health and she was looking forward to when it was completed which was during her birthday! I proposed Rochelle and her husband come to San Francisco as our guests to stay with us at Marines’ Memorial to rest, recover and tour the sites in and around San Francisco. Rochelle thrived looking forward to the events and places in the Bay Area with the Marines’ Memorial as our homebase where she could rest. During our last day, I organized an evening in the leatherneck lounge celebrating her birthday. As I checked on the details of her cake, Reservations, seating etc. the hostess told me “Mr. Corrie, I want you to enjoy your family and the evening. We know how important this is and we won’t let you down. Rochelle did not survive her cancer and this trip with her husband was their last. My wife still comments that this trip was the best gift we could’ve given her daughter. I hope this contribution expresses not only my support of the marine memorials mission but for this and other great memories my family have.”

~ CEC Patrick Corrie, USN (Ret)