By Destiny Gammon, Editor-In-Chief

Marty Bodrog, a well-known member of the Annandale Community and an avid supporter of AHS, was one of 12 victims of the Sept. 16 massacre at the Washington Navy Yard.

“My dad just had a sweet and caring heart and he’s such a man of God, and I think that was just something that really spurred his service and his love for people,” AHS Alumni Isabel Bodrog said.

After graduating from high school in Audubon, New Jersey, Marty became a member of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, graduating in 1981. Marty spent 22 years in the Navy as a Surface Warfare officer, retiring as Commander. He then continued with the Navy as a Senior Analyst at a Tech-Marine Company, offering support to the Navy across different departments.

Marty, frequently described as a family man, was married to his wife, Melanie, for 25 years and had three daughters, Isabel, 23, Sophie, 17, and Rita, 16. Isabel graduated from AHS in 2009 and her younger sisters attend W.T. Woodson HS.

According to Principal Vincent Randazzo, Marty was “active in the Annandale Booster Club and ran our 50-50 raffle on Friday nights.”

“I really appreciated my dad wanting to get involved with the things I liked to do,” Isabel said. “I always remember him wearing his shorts and walking around doing the 50/50 raffle at the football games and trying to get me to get my friends to buy raffle tickets.  It was fun to have him there and watch his willingness to be involved with my high school.”

Marty left not only an everlasting impression on his family, but also on those who he saw day to day.

“Marty impressed me on his willingness to step up and volunteer his time to AHS and its students; asking what he could do to help out and then embracing it with a great attitude and smile,” Treasurer of Athletics Boosters Randy Allshouse said.

“Izzy and I have been best friends since first grade, so almost 17 years. I definitely care about her family a lot, but one thing I always remember about Mr. Bodrog was that he was really tall he had the best smile ever,” AHS Graduate and Friend of the Family Meredith Rutherford said. “Even though he was this towering man, and typically as a little kid if you came over to someone’s house you would be really scared, I never remember being scared of him because he was such a loveable man and was so friendly.”

An active participant of the church, Marty was a preschool Sunday School Teacher at the Immanuel Bible Church as well as being involved in “Young Life,” a Christian Class for high school students.

According to Isabel, “his faith is something that he’d want everyone to know about.”

“I think it is evident by his three daughters that he was a man of God and a man of really strong character because you can look at them and see it in their eyes and see it in the way they live their lives. He definitely has left a good legacy, that’s for sure,” Rutherford said.

When neighbors were made aware that he was among the victims of the mass shooting at the Navy Yard, they were shocked.

“My knees got weak. Everything about Marty made him just a great guy and a wonderful husband and father,” Neighbor and Air Force Veteran Ron Early said. “I’m just saddened by it. It’s a personal tragedy, but it really hit home.”

In memoriam of the roll he played on AHS and the Annandale Community, the Annandale Booster club donated all money raised from 50/50 Raffle tickets for a cause Marty cared a lot about.

“The Booster Club at last Friday night’s game vs. Oakton took all of the proceeds from the 50/50 raffle and donated them to the Boston Bruins Foundation in memory of Marty Bodrog,” Snack Bar Coordinator of Athletic Boosters Jenny Britton said. “Mr. Bodrog loved hockey and he loved the Boston Bruins and his family thought it was fitting that donations be sent in his memory to this foundation which helps children in their community”.

According to President of Athletic Boosters Mary Johnson, around $300 were raised on Sept. 20 for the cause.

A release written by the Bodrog Family reads “Marty was a humble, loving father and neighbor. [He] could frequently be seen in all types of weather, even post-blizzard cold, in shorts and his trademark Boston Bruins jersey, walking his dog and helping shovel the driveways of his elderly neighbors, Marty was a source of inspiration to his family and friends –those of us that were lucky to know Marty are better people for it.”