Local marine returns from Iraq, meets son

After a year in Fallujah, Iraq Marine Corporal Stephen Tomasulo spends Thanksgiving with family

By LISA CUTRONI

MONTICELLO, NY — Six-month-old Stephen Tomasulo didn’t know his father because Marine Corporal Stephen Tomasulo, a resident of Monticello, has been stationed in Fallujah, Iraq, for the past six months.

That all changed on November 16.

Among welcome home banners and helium balloons, Stephen embraced his three-year-old son, Salko, then was introduced to his newborn son by his wife, Elida.

“Hey, I’m your daddy,” Stephen told his young son.

His 31-hour flight home started in Kuwait and ended in the lobby of Stewart International Airport in Newburgh. The return was anything but smooth.

“He was scheduled to be on the 6:30 p.m. flight, then we found out it was delayed until 7:25. At 8:30, his plane finally landed,” Judy Fitzpatrick, Stephen’s mother, said.

While his luggage arrived at Stewart, Stephen didn’t.

In Atlanta, GA, Stephen had switched to an earlier flight that left from Philadelphia, PA. Once in Philly, gate attendants at U.S. Airways told him to wait, refusing to board him.

“It was just overwhelming,” said Elida. “He was supposed to be on the plane; we were anticipating that.”

At 9:55 p.m., Stephen finally arrived.

Fitzpatrick remembers first seeing his military boots, then fatigues and then his face as her son made his way down the escalator. Then there were the piercing screams of “Daddy,” as Salko ran to meet his father.

The family arrived at the Blue Horizon Diner just in time to see it close. But once Fitzpatrick explained the family was celebrating her son’s return from Iraq, the diner stayed open.

“I just wanted real eggs,” Stephen said.

While dining, a gentleman approached Stephen, patted his shoulder and said, “For everything you’ve done for us, your meal is on me.”

That kind of appreciation makes the long absence away from his family tolerable. “There are a lot of people that could care less about the war, but then, there are the people who will buy you a beer or pick up your tab. I’m just glad there’s no one spitting on us or calling us baby killers. That’s never right,” Stephen said. “I’m really appreciative of all the support from average people.”

“It’s been good [to be home]. It was really nice to see them all waiting for me and to see the baby. Looking at the pictures [of Stephen] I really couldn’t wait to get home. But not knowing him yet made it a little easier [to be away],” Stephen said.

For Elida, the time away from her husband has been trying. The hardest thing was that her husband could not bond with the baby. “That,” said Elida, “and Sal missing him.”

For others in similar situations, Elida recommends creating a support system.

“If you don’t live on base, be prepared to wait awhile to get questions answered. And if you don’t live near other military families, surround yourself with support.”

Stephen is the third of three brothers to join the theater. His father and both grandfathers are also veterans.

On December 2, Stephen will return to Iraq to complete his tour. He said he will be honorably discharged from Iraq by December 31 and then spend a month at Camp LeJeune in North Carolina before his release in February.

While he is optimistic that he will return to the United States within a month, Fitzpatrick is not.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Fitzpatrick said, “He’s at the mercy of the government.” While he waits for his discharge, he knows that other marines will be called up to serve.

“In a way, it’s good to be part of a great cause, but I wish none of us had to be there,” Stephen said, “When I joined. I felt the Marine Corps best suited my personality.”

Stephen was recalled to Iraq in January, after serving his first tour from 2000 to 2004.

Once home, Stephen and Elida will move their family further upstate, where he hopes to open his own siding and interior remodeling business.

“Hopefully, we will be able to start our lives over again,” Elida said.

Stephen replied, “from here on out, whatever challenges come, they won’t be as challenging as they seem.”

For background on this soldier’s journey to greet his new son, see the June 9-June 15 issue of The River Reporter for an article titled “Marine seeks leave for newborn son” by David Hulse.