Michael R. DeMarsico was six months shy of his 21st birthday when he was killed by an IED while serving in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
An old armory turned community center in his native Massachusetts was named in Michael’s honor. His family went to the DMV in the Bay State and received specialized Gold Star Family license plates.
When his brother Adam DeMarsico tried to do the same here in New York State where he lives, the DMV told him they were not available in the Empire State.
The bill to make this happen has been tied up in “legislative limbo” since 2009. Albany lawmakers refuse to pass a resolution creating a Gold Star Family license plate here in New York.
Adam DeMarsico spoke to the South Shore Press about his efforts to change this.
The full video interview can be found on our “X” or Twitter page @SSPNewsroom or at our Facebook page @TheSouthShorePress. The exchange below has been edited for the print edition of our newspaper.
South Shore Press News Director Stefan Mychajliw (SM): Can you share with the South Shore Press about your brother, about the beauty of the man he was.
Gold Star Family Member Adam DeMarsico (AD): We grew up in a small town. He had a plan, right after 9/11, to join the army. He went to basic training in Georgia. Six months later, he was shipped to Afghanistan for his first deployment.
SM: How was he killed in Afghanistan?
AD: He became an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Tech, searching for land mines. He stepped on one. That’s what ultimately killed him.
SM: How passionate of a patriot was your brother Michael?
AD: As young as eight years old, he wanted to serve. He loved his country and defended it.
SM: America can never, ever repay the debt or say thank you enough for his sacrifice. They did name an armory after him in your native Massachusetts. How special was that?
AD: The armory was a reserve base back in the day. It’s where Michael grew up and played sports. It meant the world to my family. There’s a rock with a plaque on it that tells every kid that goes there what his legacy was. It’s a blessing. Every time we drive by it, we smile.
SM: Your family is in Massachusetts. You live in New York. How easy was it to get a Gold Star Family license plate in the Bay State?
AD: We are part of a Gold Star Family Group. They said, “Massachiusetts now has a plate for Gold Star Families.” We went to the DMV. Showed them a slip from the military, the equivalent of a death certificate. It was an eerie feeling. But that was it.
I was then having a conversation with a New York State Senator and he remarked that “we don’t even have that.”
SM: In a very small way, that marker, that plate, is it a reminder for drivers that “someone in that car lost a family member in the field of battle”?
AD: It’s the most important thing I’ll ever put on a vehicle. That being on my plate, it’s us knowing he is always with us. It’s important to me.
SM: How surprised or disappointed are you that you can’t get that in New York?
AD: It was definitely a shock. I broke down. I thought about going back to Massachusetts to register my truck there. To me, it means everything. Not having it here, I feel disconnected. It doesn’t sit well with me. This is going to change.
SM: In New York State there’s a custom plate for PETA, ham radio operators, podiatrists, Tesla Club Owners, zodiac signs, but not one for Gold Star Families.
AD: It’s crazy to me. They’ve been trying to pass this since 2009. It’s still in limbo. I don’t get it. I even have a mock-up of the license plate. It drives me crazy. There all these other license plates, but not one for Gold Star Families. It blows my mind.
SM: You would think this is the farthest issue from being as “political” as possible.
AD: I don’t care if a Democrat or Republican signs the bill. I just want it passed. There’s so many Gold Star Families in New York who want this done. For some reason, New York doesn’t want to get this done.
SM: What would you say to lawmakers about passing this?
AD: This has nothing to do with politics. It makes us feel, in a small way, that our relatives are still with us. I’m still at a loss for words at why this is bottled up in Committee (in the Legislature).
SM: The fact is, this is the last thing you want to fight for. Never in a million years or your worst nightmares, did your family even want to be in a position to ask for a Gold Star Family plate. What are your next steps?
AD: We are working with a law firm to take this fight on. If I didn’t push for this, we’d still be at the first step. I have a design, I made plates, and I will never stop fighting until this is done. I will do anything and everything it takes to get this done.
SM: Any last thoughts on what a great man that your brother was?
AD: He was a great person. He died six months shy of his 21st birthday. Holidays are difficult. Many years later, we still feel the hurt and burden of it. We’re ready to get this done. We are going to push for it.