Whittier mother marks Hispanic Heritage Month by honoring her 3 sons serving in military

WHITTIER, Calif. (KABC) -- Outside her home in Whittier, Chrisna Vanegas displays the American flag in honor of her three sons serving in the U.S. military.

"I'm very proud of the boys who decided to go serve their country," Vanegas said. "As a mother it makes me a little sad and scared for them, but I trust in God that they're going to be okay."

Her oldest son, Cristian, joined the Navy at 18. Nearly a decade later, his brother Isaac also enlisted in the Navy, while their younger brother Noah is in Army boot camp in Georgia.

"As a Latina mother it makes me very proud that they are contributing to our country and shaping our military as well," she said.

That pride also comes from how far her family has come. Vanegas grew up in South Central Los Angeles in a single-parent home after losing her father when she was 11. She said she kept her children focused on school and sports to stay off the streets.

"My parents migrated from El Salvador... so it makes me very proud that, being from a Hispanic background, my boys are out there serving our country," Vanegas said.

The mother of six still has one son at home. Her youngest, Gerardo De Santos III, is a high school senior deciding whether to apply to college or follow his brothers into the military.

"What I admire most about them is how they're always working hard," Gerardo said. "They never say no to something they need to do and it's really inspiring for me."

Vanegas says her three boys often checkin. Issac called in from Connecticut where he is in training at the Naval Submarine School.

"She is very proud, she has all these stickers on her window Navy Mom, Army Mom. So, in a way she did join the military," said Issac

While her sons wear the uniform of the US Navy and Army, she wears red every Friday for them.

"Red means remember our troops, that they're deployed, and we pray for them to come home safely," she said.