Terry Burgess is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Tarleton State University. He and his wife, Elisabeth, moved to Fort Worth, Texas in 1999. They both have worked in the financial and banking industry as business analysts. Terry is the former president of the Chasing Gold Toastmasters Club, an ordained minister, an author of five fiction novels, and the current Vice President of Gold Star Family Relations for The Apache Warrior Foundation. Elisabeth is the current Treasurer of The Apache Warrior Foundation. Terry and Beth created their own registered 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization, Gold Star Parents Retreat, which provides a cost-free weekend retreat to any Gold Star parent. Please visit: www.goldstarparentsretreat.org. They are members of The American Legion and the North Texas Patriot Guard Riders. The Burgesses became a Gold Star Family on March 29, 2011 when their son, Army Staff Sergeant Bryan Burgess of the 101st Airborne, was killed during a Taliban Ambush in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. It was Bryan's third tour. In 2013-2014 Terry and Beth toured the United States with The Hornet's Nest, a feature film that includes actual footage of Bryan and his final tour of duty. Their sole motivation in writing When Our Blue Star Turned Gold is to tell Bryan's story to honor his sacrifice, and inspire other Gold Star Families to tell their own stories, so many people will understand and truly appreciate the high costs of freedom. Terry and Elisabeth are available for speaking engagements and events which honor the military and their members' commitments to serve and to sacrifice. Contact them through www.GoldStarParent.com.
