Running in Cristian’s Honor

Yesenia Souders is an active-duty Army Major and runs in honor of her late husband, SSG Cristian Gilfranco, who died on 7 March 2017.

Cristian was a Staff Sergeant in the Army, serving as an automated logistician in Joint Special Operations Command. Born in Colombia, he moved to the United States as a child and eventually became a U.S. citizen through his military service.

Cristian valued hard work and earning your keep, and he loved the opportunities America offered to immigrants looking to build a better life. He went on to serve with the Joint Special Operations Command, supporting some of the nation’s elite service members.

For Yesenia, though, some of her strongest memories of Cristian are more personal.

“What I remember most about him is his way of always finding the good in any situation. He almost always succeeded in making me smile in the worst of situations we faced together.”

Cristian was also an endurance athlete who challenged himself through events including the Army Ten-Miler in Washington, DC, and GoRuck events.

Now, Yesenia is taking on an endurance challenge of her own. She has completed a half marathon and has always dreamed of running a full marathon. This October, she will make that dream a reality through the Gold Star & Survivor Endurance Program, running in Cristian’s honor.

“I think this marathon would offer me an opportunity to push myself to another level.”

Yesenia first connected with wear blue: run to remember in 2022, when her daughter, Yazmin, joined the Gold Star Youth Mentorship Program. Yazmin was six at the time and had begun asking more questions about her dad. Yesenia initially saw the program as a way to help her daughter navigate her grief, but the experience also became meaningful in Yesenia’s own life.

“I never expected the program to impact me as deeply as it has over the years. I’ve truly progressed in processing my own grief in a positive way.”

Today, Yesenia balances marathon training with her work as an active-duty Army Major serving at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where she works in healthcare administration. She often incorporates her children into her training, doing treadmill workouts while they exercise nearby.

For Yesenia, the marathon is a bucket-list goal and a chance to test herself physically and mentally. But above all, it is an opportunity to honor the husband and father whose life was defined by faith, family, hard work, and service.

“Being motivated to take these steps in honor of my late husband would be a privilege.”