Doris Kent, 50, received a Mother’s Medal of Honor from the United States military. Her son, Cpl. 
Jonathan Santos, was killed by a suicide bomber in Iraq in October 2004, weeks after his 22nd birthday. Kent said the day the officers came to tell her he had died was her worst nightmare. “You know it’s what they sign up for, but you can never be prepared for that knock on the door, ever,” she said.
Kent has worked with the Whatcom Peace and Justice Center for the past year to develop and implement its Veteran Navigator program, which gives veterans the tools to support other veterans and help them access benefits and services. Kent plans to train six Veteran Navigators on Saturday, April 30, as part of the six-month pilot program. “The best way to honor Jonathan is to take care of his buddies when they come home,” Kent said. “I care for them the way I wish I could do for my own son.”
Kent still has the last letter Jonathan ever wrote to her, which arrived in her mailbox within days after she heard he had been killed. After she read the letter, she said, she knew she had an angel.
Her second son, Pfc. Jared Santos, 21, left for Fort Stewart on Saturday, April 23. He is at a permanent duty station, so when his unit deploys, Jared deploys. Kent said she knows Jonathan will protect his younger brother. Meanwhile, she is passionate about developing the Veteran Navigator program so Jared has a safe place when he returns — and Kent believes in her heart that he will. “Jared’s going to come home,” she said, “and I want our community to be ready.”
My radio piece about Doris airs on 89.3 KUGS-FM Bellingham (Wash.) at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 1. (Or, you can click on the link and listen to it now.)
Rough draft of history 