The last Sunday of September is recognized nationally as Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day.

It’s a day to honor the families who have lost a loved one while serving our country.

American Legion Post 53 in Ridgewood calls Gold Star families “the unseen part of Memorial Day.”

Their new monument unveiled on Sunday is just the second in New Jersey to honor the sacrifices of military families.

“They put our country's security above their own,” said Gold Star survivor Maria Bombace. “These families put their chins up and their shoulders back no matter what the country asked them. We still need to honor the families. We need to break the silence.”

“I was not even aware of the fact that there was such a thing as the Gold Star,” said American Legion Post 53 treasurer David Langevin. “The more I learned about this during this process, the more I saw the history of my family.”

The monument was five years in the making. Ridgewood artists Lynne Brady Schlein and Tess Giuliani designed the monument.

“Their artwork transforms the emotion of a Gold Star Family into something visibly enduring and reflective,” said American Legion Post 53 commander Lou Francis.

“I’m very proud that we have it here,” Langevin said. “Hopefully people will come and just reflect on what it means.”

Residents can visit the monument at Van Neste Square beside the village’s other war memorials.