A 'heartwarming story' behind Ellis Park's July 4 anthem singer
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Photo:
Courtesy of Cathy Mullins
As America celebrates her birthday on July 4, Ellis Park’s National Anthem singer will serve as a poignant reminder that freedom isn’t free.
Cathy Mullins of Owensboro was set to be Ellis Park’s featured Independence Day soloist performing the Star-Spangled Banner before first post time in the track’s winner’s circle.
Mullins and her husband, U.S. Army veteran Tommy Mullins, are both Blue Star and Gold Star parents as defined by the Department of Defense. Their oldest son, Staff Sergeant Shaun Mullins, is stationed at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. Their son in law, Sergeant Steven Randall, is stationed at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
“The Gold Star is for our son Brandon,” Cathy Mullins wrote in background information provided to Ellis Park after she auditioned to be a National Anthem singer. “In August of 2011, our middle son, SPC Brandon Scott Mullins gave the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan when his unit was attacked by an improvised explosive device.
“… I have enjoyed singing in choirs and in church all my life, but prior to Brandon's death in 2011, I had never sung the National Anthem as a solo. Somehow, in the time since his death, amazing doors and opportunities have been opened for me to share his story and music with thousands of people.”
Brandon Mullins, a graduate of Owensboro's Apollo High School, was 21 when he died. The Mullinses established the Brandon Scott Mullins Memorial Foundation in 2016 to honor and remember their son through leadership scholarships at Apollo High School and the Owensboro Hockey League, along with supporting veterans service organizations. The foundation’s signature fundraiser in Owensboro is called "Kentucky Remembers,” featuring a 5K run, Military Ball and a For Faith and Country Concert each year in November around Veterans Day. More information is available at kentuckyremembers.org.
“Freedom is not free,” Cathy Mullins wrote. “It is an incredible blessing to sing our National Anthem in honor of my son who gave his all for our country and for all those who have raised their right hands to serve this great nation so that we can live in freedom.”
“It’s still so painful that he’s gone,” she said in a subsequent phone conversation. “But every time I do things like this, it means a lot, like, ‘Hey, Brandon, we’re thinking of you today.’ I feel like he’s set me up for all of this. I never would have sang it had it not been for us sharing his story…. Brandon was this outgoing, fun-loving, life-of-the-party guy. Very strong and athletic, very charismatic, very handsome, charming. He was a force of nature.
Mullins said a friend tagged her in a Facebook post about Ellis Park’s auditions to sing the National Anthem this meet. “She said, ‘Cathy, you should check this out.’ And I did,” Mullins said.
“She walked in to our National Anthem auditions and everyone loved her voice immediately,” said Karen Krauskopf, Ellis Park’s director of sponsorships and marketing. “I asked her if she was available for July 4th and she became teary-eyed as she shared her story. Needless to say, we all had tears in our eyes when we heard her heartwarming story.
“...As it says on Brandon’s foundation website, ‘Enjoy your freedom. It was paid for.’”
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