Making a Difference: Beavercreek woman becomes an ‘American Mom’ to Afghan children

BEAVERCREEK — This month’s Making a Difference spotlight shines on a woman in Beavercreek.

Susan Marticello is divorced and has two grown daughters, but in 2013, when she was married, her husband was in the Air Force.

Her husband had an Afghan interpreter while he was deployed. That interpreter was a teenager.

He felt compelled to get his interpreter out of danger and back to the Miami Valley.

That’s when Susan’s “motherly” instincts kicked in.

She helped the teenager get acclimated to the U.S. and enrolled him at Wright State University.

He was forever grateful and called Susan his “American mom.”

Fast forward to last summer when the situation in Afghanistan got worse as the U.S. military was pulling out of that country.

That interpreter’s family was desperately trying to escape the violence.

His family managed to leave the country they loved. The day before the deadly bombing at the airport in Kabul.

Months later, they made their way to the Miami Valley.

Now Susan’s an “American mom” to his 22-family members.

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