The Details: Morgado Worked To ‘Protect People And Serve Other Soldiers’
November 08, 2016 | Football, General
By Mason Kelley
GoHuskies.com
When Jake Browning steps onto the field in his black uniform for Saturday's game against USC, Washington's quarterback will have a patch stitched into his jersey just under the Pac-12 logo.
In white embroidered letters, there will be a last name – Morgado.
That name, on that military-style uniform patch, is to honor the memory of second lieutenant Travis Morgado, a 25-year-old who was killed in Afghanistan on May 23, 2012.
As the Huskies honor the service and sacrifice of military personnel during their Salute to Service game, the athletic department and university wanted to pay tribute to fallen soldiers with a connection to Washington – Morgado graduated in 2009.
When Morgado's mother, Andrea Velasquez Kessler, found out Browning would be wearing a patch with her son's name, she was overwhelmed with emotion.
"I was just floored," she said. "I cried. That's exactly what we need."
Velasquez Kessler and other members of Morgado's family are planning to attend the matchup with the Trojans and will meet the Huskies' quarterback pregame.
"It's incredible," she said. "I can't wait to meet Jake Browning. It's going to be awesome."
The oldest of four children, Morgado was a "bossy" and slightly mischievous child. In fact, as he got older his mother allowed him to put a 13-inch, black-and-white TV in his bedroom. Velasquez Kessler would later learn his was charging his brothers a quarter to watch the TV.
Looking back on this memory, she smiled. She looked up toward the ceiling as she talked about the close connection Morgado shared with his siblings.
An inquisitive child, he memorized the names of every dinosaur and the corresponding period they came from. He would later impress his fellow soldiers by memorizing their social security numbers and contact information for their mothers and girlfriends, among other things.
That curious child grew up to become a compassionate soldier. When he graduated debt-free with a degree in civil engineering, he told his mother he had decided to join the military.
"We were shocked," he said.
Velasquez Kessler initially tried to change her son's mind.
"You're debt-free," she said. "You don't have to do this. Why do you want to do this?"
After hearing his answer, well, Velasquez Kessler had little left to argue.
"Why am I so lucky, mom?" Morgado asked. "I really feel like I want to give back."
Morgado had a "really strong feeling to serve." His motivation was simple. He wanted to "protect people and serve other soldiers."
"I thought that was a very brave thing for him to say," his mother said.
Deployed to Afghanistan in March, 2012, he was only in the country a few months before being killed by an IED.
"The area had been swept, so he went forward and called the translator over to talk to him," Velasquez Kessler said. "The translator stood next to him and whatever they were standing on detonated.
"It wasn't until after he passed away that we found out how many other people he influenced their lives, pushed them along, encouraged them. He was just a very giving person. He was becoming the best person as a grownup. It was just a shame he wasn't around longer."
Velasquez Kessler said her son would be touched by the tribute.
"Now that the football team is honoring him in this way with the quarterback, I felt good energy, that he would approve, like 'Wow, look at me,'" Velasquez Kessler said. "We all miss him so much and we're all really honored by this, the whole family."
