One of those Green Berets was Staff Sergeant Michael H. Simpson.

After serving with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment and later with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Iraq, he became a Special Forces soldier.

By the time he arrived in Afghanistan in April 2013, Simpson had met and married Krista D'Orazio and become father to two sons, Michael and Gabriel.

Here to tell their family's story is award-winning actor Gretchen Mol.

-"Mike's whole family was military.

He was so proud of that.

Every morning, Mike would say, 'How's it feel to be married to a big, bad Green Beret?'

And I would say, 'Well, the baby's crying' Can this big, bad Green Beret change a diaper?

Show me what you can do.'

As a military wife, you really don't know what you signed up for until you're in it.

I was trying to keep my head above water, raising our two boys.

But from day one, what we saw in the Special Forces community was that they took care of their soldiers and families.

Mike was gone a lot, but when he was home, he was really home.

He would be Daddy T. Rex and chase Michael around the house while he was carrying Gabriel.

And Gabriel would just giggle.

The kids laughed at everything he did... no matter what.

When he deployed to Afghanistan, Mike was thrilled to be putting his training in action.

He believed in what he would be doing over there.

And I believed in him.

The morning he deployed, I made brownies for his company.

As I was passing them out, I said to Mike... 'Just be careful, alright?

Don't get shot.'

And he's like, 'Please.

Me?'

Then he kissed the boys and walked off.

♪♪ About a week before he left, Mike wrote on the refrigerator door with a marker telling me that I was his North Star and how the family that I had given him was his most prized possession.

It was like he was saying everything he needed to before he couldn't anymore.

♪♪ The morning of April 27th, I had just put Gabriel down for a nap when my phone rang.

It was Mike's company commander.

He told me that Mike had hit an IED and was in critical condition.

Somehow I found the strength to call Mike's family.

I tried his parents first.

And then I called his oldest brother, another Green Beret.

I'll never forget the sound of his scream.

When we got to the hospital in Germany, I asked to see Mike alone.

He had blood on his hands.

I used a washcloth to clean him up as best as I could.

All I could think was... his mom can't see him like this.

I did everything not to fall apart.

His family came in, and it was excruciating to watch them.

I called Mike's team and said each time, 'I am so sorry, but you're going to have to say goodbye.'

I put the phone on Mike's shoulder.

I have no idea what any of them said, but I felt like he could hear them.

Then I climbed in next to Mike and whispered... ...'I could do this forever if you just stay.

I could do this forever.'

He took his last breath later that night.

♪♪ The funeral at Arlington National Cemetery was beautiful.

They presented me with a flag on behalf of a grateful nation and gave flags to Michael and Gabriel.

I found out that Michael went up to our casualty assistance officer and said, 'Uncle Jerry, can I leave my dinosaur for my daddy?'

He left it on top of the grave.

A few months later, I was sitting with the wife of Mike's commanding officer and I said... 'When is this pain going to go away?'

And she said, 'If you could get rid of that pain right now but it meant that you had to forget all the love and joy that Mike brought to your life... would you do it?'

That was an easy 'no' for me.

It still hurts today.

It's worth it.

I stayed part of Mike's unit when they came back from Afghanistan.

His buddies got to see Michael and Gabriel and share their Mike stories with him.

Our soldiers train for war, but they don't train for the other side of war.

I needed them to see that we were okay.

Mike had a friend in his unit -- Gus Anderson.

Gus grew up Catholic, like me.

And he started coming to mass with us.

On Easter 2015, I went down to Texas to visit Mike's family.

I told them about me and Gus.

Mike's mom said... 'I've been praying that you would find someone.'

That was 10 years ago.

Today we're a living family of four, but really a family of five.

Now the boys say they have a dad in heaven and a dad on earth.

♪♪ I've come to understand that if you take the blinders off from looking at your own tragedy, there are so many gifts along the way.

Because of the gratitude I have for all those who supported us, now I help Gold Star families navigate tough times.

I organize a Memorial Day Run each year in honor of a different fallen hero.

Mike can't serve anymore, but I hope he would be proud of what we do to help others.

♪♪ Mike was always really good at sharing how he felt about what his family meant to him.

So often, people pass away and we never hear their voices again.

But Mike left us a voicemail we can hear whenever we want to.

What a gift that is to have.

On Memorial Day, we share our fallen loved ones' stories, and if you have a chance to retell those stories, do that.

If you see someone with a bracelet like this one, ask about the hero whose name it carries.

Honor them.

Cherish them.

But always remember them."

♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause continues ]