Among the four Gold Star Mothers in attendance at Wednesday’s Veterans Day events in Andalusia was Connie Gibson.

Gibson, who now lives in Covington County, said her son, Army Sgt. Troy David Jenkins, died April 24, 2003, while serving in Iraq. He was 25.

Jenkins was assigned to B Company, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment based in Fort Campbell, Ky.

His mom said he was wounded when an Iraqi child approached a group of soldiers with an unexploded bomb. When Jenkins realized what was about to happen, he threw himself over the bomb to protect a group of nearby soldiers.

He died five days later from his injuries.

Mrs. Gibson said her son is a candidate for the Congressional Medal of Honor. In the years since his death, she has met with President Obama twice, and also met President and Mrs. George W. Bush.

Jenkins was a 1995 graduate of Hillcrest High School in Evergreen.