Ethan Martula’s love for music began when he discovered the recorder in the fifth grade. The obscure instrument cultivated his love for the art, and he felt compelled to join his middle school band soon after. Now a fifteen-year-old freshman at Cy-Ranch High School, Ethan is an accomplished member of his high school band and a highly-skilled French horn player.
Ethan’s true character was displayed this past winter when tragedy struck his community. On November 28, Ethan’s neighbor decorated Marine veteran Sgt. Marty Gonzalez unexpectedly died in his driveway. During his lifetime Gonzalez was awarded Purple Hearts, two Bronze Star with Valor and two Navy Marine Corps Achievement Medals with Valor. After learning of his neighbor’s death, Ethan felt compelled to show appreciation for the veteran’s service. He wanted to comfort Gonzalez’s grieving widow and four children, one of whom is Ethan’s classmate.
Ethan wanted to comfort the fallen veteran’s family through music. He decided to dedicate several nights to honor Gonzalez’s hard work and sacrifice. Every night leading up to Gonzalez’s funeral, Ethan ventured out to his own front porch with his French horn and played patriotic songs. Ethan played the national anthem, “The Marines Hymn,” and “God Bless America” while neighbors gathered to listen and mourn.
"I felt if I did only one performance, that I wasn’t showing enough support for him and his family," Ethan says.
Each night, a steady stream of spectators flowed in to watch him perform, soon attracting local media and news channels. At first, Ethan was nervous to perform, but after receiving ample support, he slowly gained more confidence to play before the large crowd that grew in size daily. Ethan says it was truly heartwarming to see how many people came to show their support for Gonzalez.
At school, Ethan was shocked how many of his peers and teachers watched him on local news channels. He did not expect his kind actions to receive as much attention as they did, but he was grateful to share his story and Gonzalez’s story with the community.
When asked if he would perform for a cause like this again, Ethan responded with an astounding and enthusiastic “yes.” Ethan would never hesitate to perform for another family in need of comfort.