In this episode of Gold Star Stories, we share the life and sacrifice of Corporal Thomas Steven Hickman, a young soldier from Loogootee, Indiana, who served with courage and heart during the Vietnam War. Told through the voice of his younger brother Scott Hickman, this story reflects the love, loss, and resilience of a family forever changed by war.As time passes, stories like Steve’s risk being forgotten — but through Gold Star Stories, we’re making sure their names remain spoken and their legacies live on.⚠️ AI & Visual DisclaimerWhile this episode focuses on the audio story, accompanying visuals shared online include AI-assisted recreations used to enhance storytelling.Some scenes may not be historically or visually accurate. With limited surviving photos and resources, these recreations help illustrate moments that would otherwise be lost to time.Gold Star Stories operates on limited means, often working with only a few affordable AI generations and restored family photos to tell each story.With your support, the quality of these episodes and documentaries can grow exponentially — helping us restore real images, capture new interviews, and preserve even more voices from America’s Gold Star Families.🎖️ Support the mission:Visit GoldStarStoriesUSA.comYour tax-deductible donation through Veterans Collaborative helps us record, restore, and remember.Say their name. Remember their story. Honor their sacrifice.#GoldStarStories #Vietnam #GoldStarFamily #SayTheirNames #Veterans #Legacy #DocumentaryPodcast
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In this episode of Gold Star Stories, we share the life and sacrifice of Corporal Thomas Steven Hickman, a young soldier from Loogootee, Indiana, who served with courage and heart during the Vietnam War. Told through the voice of his younger brother Scott Hickman, this story reflects the love, loss, and resilience of a family forever changed by war.As time passes, stories like Steve’s risk being forgotten — but through Gold Star Stories, we’re making sure their names remain spoken and their legacies live on.⚠️ AI & Visual DisclaimerWhile this episode focuses on the audio story, accompanying visuals shared online include AI-assisted recreations used to enhance storytelling.Some scenes may not be historically or visually accurate. With limited surviving photos and resources, these recreations help illustrate moments that would otherwise be lost to time.Gold Star Stories operates on limited means, often working with only a few affordable AI generations and restored family photos to tell each story.With your support, the quality of these episodes and documentaries can grow exponentially — helping us restore real images, capture new interviews, and preserve even more voices from America’s Gold Star Families.🎖️ Support the mission:Visit GoldStarStoriesUSA.comYour tax-deductible donation through Veterans Collaborative helps us record, restore, and remember.Say their name. Remember their story. Honor their sacrifice.#GoldStarStories #Vietnam #GoldStarFamily #SayTheirNames #Veterans #Legacy #DocumentaryPodcast
Private Karl Jacob Sellner was the kind of son who lit up every room — a prankster, musician, and loyal friend with a heart for service. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Karl followed his grandfather’s footsteps into the U.S. Army as a Military Police officer. He trained hard, got married, and served proudly at Fort Riley, Kansas. But behind his smile were struggles with addiction, marital strain, and the weight of his own expectations.Weeks away from an honorable discharge, under daily watch in the barracks, Karl died by suicide.In this episode, his father Rad Sellner sits down with host Nick Letendre to share Karl’s story — the laughter, the love, and the loss that reshaped their family forever. Rad also opens up about his mission to bring a Gold Star Family Memorial Monument to Pittsburgh through the Woody Williams Foundation, giving families a sacred place to remember and be seen.This is a story of resilience, grief, and purpose — a reminder that not all battles happen overseas, and not all heroes fall in war.💛 Say Their Name: Private Karl Jacob SellnerTimestamps :00:00 – Nick’s introduction & Gold Star Stories mission00:47 – Remembering Private Karl Sellner03:00 – Growing up in Pittsburgh08:00 – The perfect storm: marriage, addiction, and pain10:00 – The knock at the door14:00 – How the family carried on18:00 – Building the Gold Star Monument in Pittsburgh25:00 – Life after loss: identity, healing, and awareness38:45 – Remembering Karl’s laughter and loveSupport the Mission:Gold Star Stories is now fiscally sponsored by Veterans Collaborative, allowing your donations to be tax-deductible. Your support helps us continue recording, sharing, and preserving the legacies of fallen heroes and their families.🎙️ Donate or learn more: GoldStarStoriesUSA.com#GoldStarStories #SayTheirNames #GoldStarFamilies #RememberTheFallen #MentalHealthAwareness #VeteransSupport
Gold Star Stories
In this episode of Gold Star Stories, we share the life and sacrifice of Corporal Thomas Steven Hickman, a young soldier from Loogootee, Indiana, who served with courage and heart during the Vietnam War. Told through the voice of his younger brother Scott Hickman, this story reflects the love, loss, and resilience of a family forever changed by war.As time passes, stories like Steve’s risk being forgotten — but through Gold Star Stories, we’re making sure their names remain spoken and their legacies live on.⚠️ AI & Visual DisclaimerWhile this episode focuses on the audio story, accompanying visuals shared online include AI-assisted recreations used to enhance storytelling.Some scenes may not be historically or visually accurate. With limited surviving photos and resources, these recreations help illustrate moments that would otherwise be lost to time.Gold Star Stories operates on limited means, often working with only a few affordable AI generations and restored family photos to tell each story.With your support, the quality of these episodes and documentaries can grow exponentially — helping us restore real images, capture new interviews, and preserve even more voices from America’s Gold Star Families.🎖️ Support the mission:Visit GoldStarStoriesUSA.comYour tax-deductible donation through Veterans Collaborative helps us record, restore, and remember.Say their name. Remember their story. Honor their sacrifice.#GoldStarStories #Vietnam #GoldStarFamily #SayTheirNames #Veterans #Legacy #DocumentaryPodcast
