Surprise to break ground on memorial for fallen veteran
Jun 2, 2019, 3:46 PM | Updated: Jun 3, 2019, 8:42 am
(City of Surprise Rendering)
PHOENIX — The city of Surprise will break ground this month on a memorial for a veteran who devoted his life to serving his country and helping other wounded veterans find healing.
Brian Mancini was a medically retired Army Sergeant First Class and Surprise resident who suffered life-threatening injuries from a roadside bomb attack in Iraq in 2007.
Mancini founded Honor House, a place where wounded veterans could go for therapy and counseling, after recovering from his injuries.
Mancini, who suffered from PTSD, committed suicide in 2017 at age 38.
The groundbreaking for the memorial, called Veterans Reflection Circle, will be held June 24 at 9 a.m. at the Northwest Regional Library in Surprise.
The memorial will be built in Surprise Community Park and will open on Veterans Day.
The site was selected as a tribute to Mancini’s love of nature, fishing and quiet self-reflection, according to a press release.
The memorial will feature elements of water and plant life that will be woven into a tranquil seating area and circular pathway.