Friends surprise Sgt. Pezzano at Scrappers game

Photo by: Ed Runyan

Photo

Marine Sgt. Frank Pezzano (in Indians cap) greets family and friends who threw him a surprise homecoming party Friday night at the Scrappers game. At right are his girlfriend, Stephanie Cole, and his father, Frank Pezzano. At left is the sergeant’s mother, Jen.

By ED RUNYAN

runyan@vindy.com

NILES

Family and friends of Frank Pezzano, a 21-year-old Marine from McDonald, wanted to show him how happy they are to have him home.

He recently returned from four years in the military and a second tour of duty in Afghanistan, and loved ones threw him a surprise party at Eastwood Field. It started just before

Friday night’s Mahoning Valley Scrappers game.

The field is a place the big-time Cleveland Indians fan loves.

Before the sixth inning, he was brought onto the field and introduced to the fans, who also applauded his service.

The party was a way to thank all of the people who prayed for him, sent him cookies and provided him and members of his unit with support. His unit returned to the U.S. from Afghanistan at the end of May.

“He’s a good kid. We received a lot of support, and we wanted to say thank you,” said Pezzano’s mother, Jen Brickner.

“I said it would be nice to have a picnic to welcome him home, but then it kind of grew,” she said. About 100 family and friends greeted Pezzano when he entered the picnic area of the ballfield with his girlfriend, Stephanie Cole, and his mom, Jen, before the game.

In addition to family, Pezzano and his 110th 1st Battalion 10th Marines also received support from patrons of Peabody’s Cafe on Boardman-Canfield Road in Canfield, owned by Loren Cole, Stephanie Cole’s father.

The Cole family organized a holiday supply drive the first time Pezzano was deployed in Afghanistan in 2009, then did it again last November when Pezzano went a second time.

The supply drives resulted in more than 1,000 pounds of supplies — such as sunflower seeds, magazines, socks, batteries and books — being sent to the Marines.

“I appreciate everybody’s support,” Pezzano said, adding, “I’m glad to be home for good and don’t have to worry about going back.”

The Marine’s father, also named Frank, said it became clear the younger Pezzano had decided to enter the military before he had left middle school.

“In eighth grade one day, I asked him if he was going to college, and without missing a beat he said, ‘I’m going into the military,’” the elder Pezzano said.

“He was bound and determined to be a Marine from the time he was 15,” his mom said, adding that it was his dream to make it to sergeant, like his grandfather Pezzano had.

He made sergeant on his last day in the military last Friday, the elder Pezzano said.

Pezzano will begin classes this fall at Youngstown State University and plans to major in business and finance.