Help Me Howard: Soldier

WSVN -- Bobby Heatherdale: "She's a very, very caring young lady."

Meet Diana, the popular homecoming queen.

Bobby Heatherdale: "She loves school. If she could go back and keep repeating it she would."

Now meet Sergeant Rosero, the well-trained 20-year-old Army soldier, same person, worlds apart.

Bobby Heatherdale: "Her job, on the top of a Humvee, right now, is certainly not riding in the back of that convertible on the night of the game."

Finally, meet Diana's parents, they are divorced but love to get together to talk about their daughter stationed in Iraq.

Rosa Heatherdale: "We are friends."

Bobby Heatherdale: "Oh, yes, like Rosa has said, we keep in constant touch. If I get photos I show them to her. If she gets photos, she shows them to me."

They get their greetings from Baghdad, where Diana works with the Iraqi citizens. She is away from her family but keeps them close to her with pictures and letters filled with love.

Bobby Heatherdale: "'I want to thank you for being such a wonderful father to me. I will never forget you have taught me strength, discipline, values and so much more.'"

Bobby and Rosa love to get mail from Diana, but, to put a spin on an old saying, it's better to send than receive.

Rosa Heatherdale: "Every week we try to send like a package. Her boyfriend sends a package, and she is so happy when she receives a letter or anything."

Real letters from real people to make Diana feel a lot better.

Rosa Heatherdale: "She's so depressed, and every time when I send e-mail to her she says I don't want an e-mail, I want a real letter."

It's got to be lonely for any soldier, so, to cheer her up, her parents want more of her friends to stay in touch. Particularly her co-workers from the Broward Clerks office.

Bobby Heatherdale: "Well, she loved her job at the courthouse. She was really, really comfortable with the job and was looked up to by a lot by her supervisors."

And Diana would love to hear from them, misses them and misses the news of what her friends in South Florida are doing everyday, so Bobby called us.

Bobby Heatherdale: "And just to have them let her know that they're thinking of her and let her get these letters."

It sounded tough for Bobby and Rosa to do, but one call from us to Howard Forman, the Clerk of the Courts, and Diana's old boss solved the problem.

Patrick Fraser: "Can you help her?"

Howard Forman: "I can help get her friends communicating with her. I think that is something very, very important."

We gave them Sgt. Rosero's address. Not only will she get letters from her co-workers, they want her to know that they can't wait for her to return.

Howard Forman: "She's doing her duty for her country, she was a wonderful employee while she was here, and when she comes back, she has her job back."

Hopefully, Diana will be inundated with mail and, of course, she is not the only man or woman wanting to hear from home, and it doesn't take much time to send them a letter.

Howard Finkelstein: "If you know a specific person, send them a letter directly. It really does make a difference, and, if you don't know one, but you want to make someone like Diana's life a little bit better, go to www.americasupportsyou.mil. That website will link you to organizations that will help you get letters to the men and women risking their lives for us.

Soon Diana will know she may not be working in the courthouse, but, while they work, they are thinking about her working for all of us.

Co-workers: "We miss you, Diana!"

Patrick Fraser: "Now, if you want to send Diana a letter and tell her how great Help me Howard is, her address is here. The military asked that we put the last name first."

Beginning to think you are postmarked for trouble? Want to return it to the sender? Drop us a note. We are not fit for battle, but we promise we won't just mail it in either.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

CONTACT: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
DADE: 305-953-WSVN
BROWARD: 954-761-WSVN

Sgt. Rosero, Diana
BCO 492 CA BN Unit # 43391
APO, AE 09344-3391

Americas Supports You:
http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/