WWII Veteran Residents at the Minnesota Veterans Home - Minneapolis recently received very special face masks made from a military parachute used in WWII from The Mask Movement and Spano family of Minneapolis. The masks were presented to Residents on December 7, 2020, Pearl Harbor Day.

The Mask Movement, which has been making masks for the community since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, was recently approached by Joe and Betty Spano of Minneapolis with a treasured keepsake -- a parachute fabric remnant used by Joe’s father, Captain Joseph Spano, in WWII. The Spano family has treasured the parachute as a memento all these years and decided there was no more fitting tribute than to use the material to make masks to help protect those who put their lives at risk to protect all of us, our Veterans.

In a letter given to each Veteran who received a mask, the Spano family shared the story of Joseph Spano’s life and how he put himself through medical school while supporting his mother and seven siblings after the death of his father when Joseph was only 18 years old. He became a skilled surgeon and enlisted in the Army at the age of 38 because he felt a deep calling to support the war effort where his skills would be desperately needed. Captain Joseph Spano went on to save countless lives and limbs in service to our country.

Along with this very special face mask, Veterans also received a print of a B-17 crew praying before flight from the Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame award-winning artist Pete Feigal.

The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs extends a heartfelt thank you to The Mask Movement and the Spano family for this remarkable gift that will help protect our Veterans. A very special thank you to, and recognition of, Captain Joseph Spano for his service and sacrifices to our country.