John Mircovich, 77, and his wife Connie, 79 of Ingleside on the Bay have been married 53 years. She is also the principal caregiver for her husband after he was diagnosed with cancer resulting from exposure to Agent Orange when he was deployed to Vietnam in the 1960’s. John’s multiple surgeries include a tracheotomy and the loss of his larynx, or the ‘voice box’, requiring that he learn to speak all over again. His voice is raw and raspy as a result. Surgery to remove cancer from his sinuses also means when he sneezes or needs to wipe away mucus and saliva, he does so through a small, permanent hole in his throat.
Ingleside Index

Courtesy: John Mircovich
At age 17, Mircovich dropped out of school while a sophomore at Ingleside High School to join the Navy, choosing a military branch where he would spend time aboard a ship and on the water, a lifelong IOB resident whose father was a local shrimper, he thought it would be the right fit given his upbringing.

Outside the Mircovich home on Woodhaven Dr. in IOB the U.S. flag is always flying, and the couple is proud to let passersby and neighbors know John served in the Navy. The sense of patriotism originated from his immigrant father, a native of Yugoslavia, who always believed becoming a naturalized American citizen was the best thing he did in his life.
Ingleside Index