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Tanya Pagnoni talks to her mom, Rose, of Spotsylvania, who organized
Army Pfc. Tanya Pagnoni, 18, in beret, gets swarmed by Fredericksburg-area friends Sunday night after arriving
Pagnoni, who is studying to be an airborne intelligence analyst, made it home in time to enjoy the holidays here.
Fredericksburg-area friends of Tanya Pagnoni made special T-shirts and a big banner to carry on the bus they rented |
RICHMOND
--Heading home for Christmas after months of training in Arizona, Army Pfc. Tanya Pagnoni expected to be picked up at the airport by her mom, Rose, and one of Rose's friends.Instead, the Spotsylvania County 18-year old got the surprise of her life. Late Sunday night, amid the taxis, police cruisers and cars picking up passengers outside the Richmond International terminal was a busload of her friends and relatives.
When Pagnoni, wearing her Army uniform, a black beret, and lugging her pack, appeared on the curb, the group of about 30 people--all wearing "We missed you, Tanya!" T-shirts--cheered and held up a banner welcoming her home.
As she approached the bus shortly before midnight, all she could manage to say was, "What the ?" Then she smiled a broad smile, hugged her mom, and, one by one, embraced others who stood shivering in the cold.
A few minutes later, she exclaimed, "I think it's amazing to have my friends and family supporting me."
"I'm really proud of her," Pagnoni, a divorced mom who lives in Lake Wilderness, said of her only child. "Nowadays it's tough enough to get young people to join the military, much less in wartime. She wanted to serve her country."
Her dad, Vincent, who served in the Marines and now lives in the Richmond area, flew in with her after visiting his daughter for a few days at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.
It wasn't the kind of homecoming most soldiers get, and that's what Rose Pagnoni wanted--something special, something her daughter would always remember. She had plenty of help.
About two hours earlier, the passengers on the bus gathered at the Gordon Road commuter lot. John Harris, a family friend, truck driver and part-time bus driver, volunteered his time, securing the bus at a big discount from L.W. Transportation.
Many of those on the trip were staff and customers from Big Daddy Leather in Fredericksburg, where Tanya worked before joining the Army. Customers chipped in toward expenses for the journey to Richmond.
"She was like everybody's daughter," said Harris, who rides a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and met Tanya at the shop on Princess Anne Street. He said he wasn't surprised that many people would come out late on a Sunday night.
Doug and Michelle Can-trell, owners of Big Daddy Leather, who live a few houses down from Rose Pagnoni, were among the passengers on the bus. They helped get the word out about the bus trip.
"She's bubbly, outgoing, free-spirited, encouraging" Doug Cantrell said of Tanya. Cantrell, an Army master sergeant who will retire in March, talked to her about military service. "I was able to give her some insight on what to do, what to look for in basic training," Cantrell, a former drill sergeant, said.
Tanya worked at the shop, which has many customers who are active and retired military, for about six months. She graduated from Riverbend High School in June, and went to basic training in August at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
In two weeks she'll head back to Fort Huachuca, where she's studying to be an airborne intelligence analyst. "She's No. 1 in her class," her mother says proudly.
After finishing her training early next year, Tanya will be stationed in Korea.
Pagnoni says her daughter knew what she wanted to do. "She's never been your typical teenager. We were grooming her to go to [college]. She asked if she could check out the military, and we said sure. She's a good kid, very caring and mature for her age. Of course, I'm biased."
Neighbor and Riverbend High student Kayla Pietz, 16, gave up her Sunday night willingly for her friend. "I think it's great what she's doing, and I think she'll really appreciate this," she said of the greeting party. Pietz's dad, Gregory, is in the Army.
Once on the bus, Tanya made the rounds one more time, then found a seat and talked quietly about what's ahead. She wants a career in the Army, and plans to get a college degree along the way.
For now, she said, "When I get home, I'm going to pull off these boots, and sleep."
Rusty Dennen: 540/374-5431
Email: rdennen@freelancestar.com
