Delonda Dunn
Delonda’s husband died from COVID complications after contracting the virus while on duty as a policeman. Through GSF programs, she was given a safe space to honor the loss of her beloved husband and find the will to keep going.
Surviving Spouse Delonda Dunn
They Met In 10th Grade
Delonda distinctly remembers when she saw her future husband, Mike, for the very first time. ”It was January 1986, the first day of second semester, 10th grade World History class. In walked this cute boy with a curly mullet (yes, a mullet and he rocked it), he was wearing a white t-shirt, denim jacket, and acid-washed jeans with the cuffs rolled up. Total 80’s heartthrob material.” Soon they started dating, and when they were 18, Mike said “Hey we should get married.” At twenty, with their whole lives ahead of them, they did.
Mike Joined the Marines and Deployed for Operation Desert Shield
Shortly after their engagement, Mike joined the United States Marine Corps and left for boot camp. Then came SOI (School of Infantry), followed by a deployment overseas. “Once he was back stateside, we finally had the chance to get married and start our happily ever after.” But that joy was short-lived when Iraq invaded Kuwait. Mike was deployed just three weeks later for Operation Desert Shield which later turned into Operation Desert Storm. “Much of his six-year Marine Corps enlistment was spent deployed, leaving me on my own.”
A New Career in Law Enforcement and a Devastating Diagnosis
When Mike’s enlistment with the Marines ended, he chose a new career path in policing and the family moved back to their home state of Texas. After being promoted to Sergeant, he served as a robbery detective and then moved to homicide. Delonda remembers, “Homicides have a way of happening in the early morning hours between midnight and 6 a.m. I found myself not only spending a lot of time on my own, but also enduring countless sleepless nights.”
In 2021, Mike came home not feeling well. He brushed it off as a cold, resting at home for a few days until his breathing became labored. He was then admitted to the ICU as a COVID patient.
“Based on the timeline of his symptoms, my husband’s police department strongly believed Mike contracted the virus while working a crime scene.” Two weeks after his first signs of illness, Mike was intubated. Machines were doing what his body no longer could. Then, doctors delivered the devastating news – there was nothing more they could do. Mike passed away peacefully, surrounded by those who loved him most.
The Cost of Freedom
37k
Over 37,000 active duty personnel and veterans who served after 9/11 have died in combat or by suicide.
Will you help us support the loved ones they left behind?
Donate“I Couldn’t Picture a Future Without My Beloved Husband"
In the days, weeks, and months that followed, Delonda was lost. “I couldn’t picture a future without my beloved husband, the man I had grown up with, built a life with, and loved with all my heart. We were a team in every sense of the word. So how could I possibly imagine a life without him?”
Nearly two years after Mike’s passing, Delonda was introduced to the Gary Sinise Foundation. “I was invited to attend a city adventure in Hollywood California, an experience honoring fallen heroes like mine. I would be joined by other surviving spouses of first responders. Those few days were unforgettable. Every detail was thoughtfully curated. Every experience made me feel honored. And most importantly, I found connection. I met other widows who truly understood the long nights, the silent fears, the sudden loss.”
Then, Delonda and her youngest daughter decided to participate in the Gary Sinise Foundation Disney in December event. “I had prayed that she would find the same kind of comfort and connection that I had. That prayer was answered. She formed a sweet friendship of her own, and I saw the beginning of her healing take root.
Finding Her Voice and a Promise Kept
Delonda went on to attend the Foundation’s empowerment workshops which teach practical tools and techniques to help navigate challenges and process pain in a healthy, independent way. Then, she attended a Storyteller workshop, where she learned to tell her story with clarity so others could find hope through her journey.
But, one of her most profound moments with the Foundation came during her visit to the Gary Sinise Foundation offices. “As I walked into Gary’s personal office, my eyes were immediately drawn to something on his desk. There, neatly displayed on Gary’s desk, were two of Mike’s challenge coins. Seeing Mike’s coins was a powerful, silent message of a promise kept. Gary had told me ‘Your hero will not be forgotten,’ and in that moment, in the middle of Gary Sinise’s office, I realized that Gary’s words weren’t just words, they were a commitment lived out in action.”
Today, Delonda reflects on her journey. “With Mike, we built a family, raised four kids, and were blessed with 31 beautiful years of marriage. I’ve come to understand that life rarely unfolds the way we imagine, and sometimes, it shatters entirely. Losing Mike felt like the end of everything I knew. But I’ve learned that an ending doesn’t mean it’s over. It just means that life is taking new shape.”
You Can Support The Families of America's Fallen Heroes
We’re serving the surviving spouses and children of fallen military & first responder heroes, our "Snowball Express" families, through year-round programming and support that reminds them they are never alone and their hero is never forgotten.
You can help uplift these remarkable families. Make a donation today.
