Matias Ferreira, a Marine Corps veteran and member of the Suffolk County Police Department, visited Smithtown Elementary on Nov. 9 to talk to students about the importance of Veterans Day and being kind to students whose parents may be overseas.
“We just really want to bring awareness to the sacrifices of some parents who may be overseas and unfortunately not being present in the child’s life currently,” said Mr. Ferreira, who is also a Smithtown Elementary School parent.
Mr. Ferreira is a double amputee who lost his legs while serving in Afghanistan in 2011.
“We just want to be there for the kids who may not have mom and dad here and tell them to always be kind,” he said.
